Abstract
Digital disruption is breaking down long established business models. In most organisations, IT managers are charged with management of technology-enabled change. It is therefore important that IT managers understand the opportunities and challenges posed by digital disruption to aid the organisation's response. The purpose of this study was to explore what South African IT managers perceive, and what their responses (or planned responses) to digital disruption within the context of a financial services organisation are. The study is interpretive, exploratory and qualitative, drawing from situational awareness theory to ground the participants’ perception of digital disruption. The study draws on Disruptive Innovation Theory to assess the participants’ actual (or planned) responses to digital disruption. The findings indicate that IT managers perceive digital disruption as both technological disruption and sense making mechanism for changes in work practices, along with posing several new opportunities and challenges.
