From Vision to Value: A Qualitative Case Study of Organizational Challenges to AI Adoption in the IT Consulting Industry
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Authors
Freed, Courtney
Issue Date
2025
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
artificial intelligence , AI adoption , change management , organizational change , leadership strategy , IT consulting , technology adoption , emerging technology
Alternative Title
Abstract
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) presents organizational challenges, particularly in today’s dynamic business environment. Despite AI’s transformative potential, organizations struggle with AI adoption due to a lack of leadership commitment, unrealistic expectations, and ineffective change management. Addressing these challenges is necessary to maximize AI’s potential in an increasingly digital world. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the organizational challenges connected to AI adoption in the information technology (IT) consulting industry in the United States. Three research questions guided this study to (a) identify what specific organizational barriers exist that contribute to the failure of AI projects in the IT consulting industry; (b) determine what IT consulting organizations measure to assess the impact of AI projects; and (c) understand how IT consultants can help organizations holistically overcome the challenges of AI adoption. This study used a qualitative case study design incorporating an organizational change management lens through a pragmatic paradigm. The target population was publicly traded IT consulting firms in the United States with 1,000 or more employees. The study included a purposive sample of 14 employees from three organizations who were purposively chosen because of their experience with AI. Data were collected from individual, semistructured interviews, documents, and archival records to ensure a thorough understanding of the case while maintaining validity. A multistage coding process was used to analyze the data, yielding
five themes related to AI adoption challenges: (a) capacity for change, (b) strategic visioning, (c) empowering action, (d) building momentum, and (e) organizational value realization. The findings show that insufficient readiness, unclear strategy, disempowered employees, lack of early successes, and weak value measurement were common challenges, highlighting the need for comprehensive change addressing all five factors. The study has implications for both research and practice, seeking to extend organizational change management theory while providing actionable insights for IT consultants and business leaders to leverage AI for competitive advantage. Recommendations for practice include developing comprehensive readiness plans and involving consultants as change agents to guide these efforts. Future research should explore AI adoption in different industry contexts and investigate ethical considerations for AI adoption.
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess