Characterizing Multiple Institutional Logics for Innovation with Digital Technologies Sanja Tumbas University of Liechtenstein sanja.tumbas@uni.li Theresa Schmiedel University of Liechtenstein theresa.schmiedel@uni.li Jan vom Brocke University of Liechtenstein jan.vom.brocke@uni.li Abstract Innovating with digital technologies is important for organizations in order to stay competitive in the market. Today, diverse actors drawing on multiple institutions drive such innovations, ranging from engineers, designers and customer facing units, far extending the scope of the IT function which used to lead digital efforts. Still, there is little research on how non-IT functions innovate with digital technologies. Using the lens of institutional logics and affordances, we examine case studies to address this research gap. We find that actors outside of the IT function innovate with digital technologies in various ways because - depending on the combination of institutional logics they draw from - they recognize affordances of digital technologies differently. 1. Introduction Digital technologies are ubiquitous [25], they permeate virtually every aspect of organizational life [43] and are imperative for innovation [41]. Digital innovation is taking place in many different areas within organizations. For example, companies innovate with digital technologies by embedding technologies in products [14,16], by visualizing and simulating features of future buildings [4,13], or by establishing an online presence [20]. As a result, diverse organizational actors are innovating with digital technologies, pushing the boundaries of digital innovation in organizations. In the past, the information technology (IT) function of an organization primarily led digital efforts. This function benefits from decades of professional experience in established methods, paradigms, and prescriptions for appropriate practice, which guides their efforts in system development, implementation, and governance [34]. However, now that actors external to the IT function are increasingly leading digital innovation, they typically do not draw on the IT profession for prescriptions to guide their practices. Instead they draw on their own local professions and institutional arrangements. To date there is little research into how areas outside the IT function in an organization go about innovating with digital technologies. Thus we ask: How do professionals outside of the IT function innovate with digital technologies? To begin addressing this question, we draw upon the institutional logics perspective of pluralistic organizations [3]. Organizations comprise of a variety of functional groups that often have different goals and assumptions, and draw upon different prescriptions (“scripts”) for appropriate practice. The concept of institutional logics enables us to contextualize these goals, assumptions, and practice scripts in broad societal institutions [38]. The IT function draws upon the institutional logics of the IT profession as has been explored in existing literature [10]. However, there is a lack of research on the institutional logics that other functions draw upon when innovating with digital technologies. To capture broad consistencies across micro practices within organizations, we use a qualitative meta-analytical approach [29]. We selected published case studies that explore digital innovation led by units outside of the IT function. We chose to look into three cases from different industries in order to gain first insights on the diversity of institutional logics that are relevant for innovating with digital technologies. Particularly, we looked into the cases of CarCorp, a car manufacturer, Adweb, a web designer, and ABC, an architectural firm. We code the data to assess the key elements of institutional logics and the affordances of the digital technologies following Seidel & Berente [32]. We find that areas outside of the IT function innovate with digital technologies in various ways. They combine aspects of existing practices with new ones, i.e. various institutional logics. These combinations lead to both innovative processes and outcomes [28] as affordances of digital technologies are recognized based on the logics actors draw from.