Dynamic Capabilities and Management Control in the Digital Era: Understanding Telework and Data-Driven Decision-Making under Environmental Dynamism

Li, Yi

Dynamic Capabilities and Management Control in the Digital Era: Understanding Telework and Data-Driven Decision-Making under Environmental Dynamism

Li, Yi

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2025

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Li, Yi
dc.date.accessioned	2026-05-26T23:43:00Z
dc.date.available	2026-05-26T23:43:00Z
dc.date.issued	2025
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195148
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Business.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	This thesis investigates how organizations improve operational performance in dynamic environments through telework (TW), information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities, business analytics (BA) capabilities, and management control (MC) mechanisms. Drawing on the dynamic capabilities view (DCV), the research examines two interrelated phenomena: the performance implications of mandated telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of data-driven decision-making (DDDM) in transforming ICT and BA capabilities into improved operational outcomes in dynamic environments. Using a common dataset derived from a survey of senior managers in medium and large Australian organizations, the first study examines how TW, ICT capabilities, and MC jointly shape operational performance under varying degrees of environmental dynamism. The findings reveal that while mandated telework initially reduces operational performance, higher levels of telework increase the scope of use of MC mechanisms, which in turn improves performance. This study also finds moderating effects of ICT capabilities and environmental dynamism on the relationship between telework and operational performance. The second study investigates how dynamic ICT and BA capabilities support DDDM practices and, in turn, contribute to operational performance. It highlights the mediating role of DDDM and the moderating influence of environmental dynamism, offering new insights into how organizations translate technological investments into strategic decision-making and performance gains in uncertain environments. Overall, by integrating insights from TW, AIS, and MC research streams, this thesis offers a more holistic explanation of how organizations can maintain operational performance in increasingly flexible and dynamic working environments. It enriches theoretical understanding by demonstrating that the performance consequences of TW depend critically on the organization’s ICT capabilities, control configurations, and environmental context. It also refines and expands the DCV by illustrating the mechanisms through which technological and analytical capabilities translate into business value, emphasizing the role of DDDM as an intermediary capability in this process and revealing environmental dynamism as a critical boundary condition that governs the effectiveness of BA capabilities.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US.UTF-8
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/195148/1/thesis.pdf
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	© 2025 Yi Li
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/cph
dc.title	Dynamic Capabilities and Management Control in the Digital Era: Understanding Telework and Data-Driven Decision-Making under Environmental Dynamism	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

This thesis investigates how organizations improve operational performance in dynamic environments through telework (TW), information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities, business analytics (BA) capabilities, and management control (MC) mechanisms. Drawing on the dynamic capabilities view (DCV), the research examines two interrelated phenomena: the performance implications of mandated telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of data-driven decision-making (DDDM) in transforming ICT and BA capabilities into improved operational outcomes in dynamic environments. Using a common dataset derived from a survey of senior managers in medium and large Australian organizations, the first study examines how TW, ICT capabilities, and MC jointly shape operational performance under varying degrees of environmental dynamism. The findings reveal that while mandated telework initially reduces operational performance, higher levels of telework increase the scope of use of MC mechanisms, which in turn improves performance. This study also finds moderating effects of ICT capabilities and environmental dynamism on the relationship between telework and operational performance. The second study investigates how dynamic ICT and BA capabilities support DDDM practices and, in turn, contribute to operational performance. It highlights the mediating role of DDDM and the moderating influence of environmental dynamism, offering new insights into how organizations translate technological investments into strategic decision-making and performance gains in uncertain environments. Overall, by integrating insights from TW, AIS, and MC research streams, this thesis offers a more holistic explanation of how organizations can maintain operational performance in increasingly flexible and dynamic working environments. It enriches theoretical understanding by demonstrating that the performance consequences of TW depend critically on the organization’s ICT capabilities, control configurations, and environmental context. It also refines and expands the DCV by illustrating the mechanisms through which technological and analytical capabilities translate into business value, emphasizing the role of DDDM as an intermediary capability in this process and revealing environmental dynamism as a critical boundary condition that governs the effectiveness of BA capabilities.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195148