It requires a tailored approach, as these sectors often involve dynamic work environments, high employee turnover, diverse talent needs, and a blend of technology-driven and people-centric processes. Combining the right technology with a focus on employee experience, continuous learning, and data-driven decision-making will allow HR departments to address the unique challenges of these fast-paced, often decentralized industries.

Kleanthis K. Katsaros : Would you say that combining technology with employee-centric strategies is the most critical factor for overcoming high turnover and dynamic work environments in these industries?

see there is nothing special in digital data processing. It is merely a tool. What you need is to identify your own parameters and create a model then for speed and reach you can pick suitable platform and programs.

however comprehensive list is below to think:

in this industry the employees and customers contact period is small. The industry works more on pattern of independent associates

Dear Suharno Pawirosumarto , Digital transformation in HR within the creative and tourism sectors can be effectively analyzed through the lens of institutional theory. This framework highlights how organizations respond to external pressures, internal norms, and stakeholder expectations, providing insight into both the challenges and opportunities of HR digital transformation. Institutional pressures—coercive, mimetic, and normative—drive much of the change in HR practices.

Coercive pressures arise from legal, financial, and regulatory demands, such as compliance with labor laws or global data privacy regulations like GDPR. For instance, a tourism company may adopt cloud-based HR systems to meet legal requirements while improving operational efficiency.

Mimetic pressures emerge in response to uncertainty, prompting organizations to emulate successful peers. A creative agency might adopt AI-driven tools for talent acquisition after observing their effectiveness in larger competitors.

Normative pressures stem from professional standards and industry expectations, such as the promotion of digital upskilling programs by HR associations.

Organizations can address barriers and capitalize on opportunities through clear strategies. Leadership is critical in articulating a vision for change, aligning digital initiatives with organizational goals while responding to external pressures. Culture must support a digital-first mindset, achieved through targeted training to reduce resistance and build employee competencies. Technology acts as both an enabler and a response to institutional demands, offering tools that enhance operational efficiency and employee engagement. For example, a boutique hotel chain implementing mobile HR platforms addresses both compliance requirements and employee needs, while a tourism board fostering knowledge-sharing workshops helps its members benchmark and adopt best practices. Aligning HR transformation with institutional expectations ensures legitimacy, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.

By integrating leadership, culture, and technology with institutional dynamics, organizations in the creative and tourism sectors can navigate the challenges of digital transformation while leveraging its benefits to thrive in a competitive global market.

• DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147–160.
• Scott, W. R. (2001). Institutions and organizations: Ideas, interests, and identities. Sage Publications.
• Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology, 83(2), 340–363.
• Patalon, M. & Wyczisk, A. (2024). Mapping digital transformation of municipalities through the lens of institutional isomorphism. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences (IJonSES), 6(4), 600-635. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonses.701

Dear Marcel Patalon

Thank you for your very comprehensive and informative response to my question. I truly appreciate how you elaborated on institutional pressures (coercive, mimetic, and normative) and how this theory is relevant in understanding digital transformation in HR, especially in the creative and tourism sectors.

I agree that leadership, culture, and technology are key elements in bridging the challenges and opportunities in this transformation. The institutional theory-based approach you outlined provides a solid framework for understanding the dynamics of organizational change.

Allow me to ask a few further questions to deepen the discussion:

Once again, thank you for your contribution. Your explanations and examples have enriched my understanding, and I look forward to further discussions on this topic.

A human resource (HR) structure that supports sustainable competitive advantage focuses on fostering a workforce that is valuable, rare, inimitable, and organized (VRIO framework) please research this as there is a structure that focuses on more than just the elements mentioned.

Dear Suharno Pawirosumarto , thank you for deepening the discussion. Let me try to give you my perspective on your questions.

To optimize HR digital transformation in the creative and tourism industries, organizations must consider the unique demands and institutional pressures of these sectors while leveraging emerging technologies, fostering innovation, and adhering to regulations. In these industries, mimetic pressures often arise as organizations adopt practices from competitors or industry leaders, driven by a desire to reduce uncertainty or conform to market expectations. This tendency can create a "herding effect," where firms replicate strategies without fully assessing their alignment with unique organizational needs. The challenge lies in balancing imitation with innovation tailored to an organization's specific characteristics, such as culture, resources, and customer base.

To address these challenges, organizations should prioritize customized technology adoption, tailoring digital HR tools to reflect their unique workflows. For example, creative industries can use platforms that support freelance workforce management, while tourism companies can adopt scheduling tools optimized for seasonal staff and part-time workers. Promoting a culture of experimentation is also essential, encouraging organizations to test new HR technologies like gamified recruitment platforms or AI-driven customer service training tools. Strategic alignment and scenario analysis can ensure that any imitative strategies align with long-term goals and internal capabilities, while fostering innovation through selective mimicry, where elements of competitors' strategies are adapted rather than directly replicated.

Regulations also play a critical role in shaping HR digital transformation, particularly in the tourism sector, where organizations must navigate complex and varied compliance requirements. Data protection and privacy laws, such as the GDPR in the EU or emerging frameworks like Nigeria’s NDPR and Brazil’s LGPD, drive the adoption of robust HR systems to manage employee and customer data securely. Sustainability standards, such as carbon reporting requirements or green certifications, compel organizations to digitize processes for tracking and reporting workforce sustainability efforts. Updated labor laws in some regions mandate digital record-keeping for compliance monitoring, while digital economy policies incentivize digital infrastructure development, indirectly encouraging HR digital transformation.

Governments and public-private partnerships can accelerate transformation in developing countries by providing grants or subsidies for technology adoption and building digital literacy and infrastructure. Organizations should capitalize on these opportunities to implement compliance-driven HR systems that automate adherence to privacy laws and labor regulations while focusing on safety and well-being through IoT technologies. For instance, wearables can monitor employee fatigue in tourism operations, and digital HR tools can track training in eco-friendly practices, aligning with sustainability goals.

The integration of emerging technologies, such as AI and IoT, further enhances HR digital transformation in these sectors. AI tools can streamline recruitment processes, using chatbots for pre-screening or video-based sentiment analysis for interviews, especially valuable for managing seasonal tourism roles or creative talent pools. IoT devices, like smart uniforms or location trackers, can optimize workforce management in large tourism venues while ensuring real-time safety monitoring. AI-powered learning management systems can provide dynamic, personalized training, such as VR simulations for customer service in tourism or upskilling platforms for emerging digital tools in creative industries. Predictive analytics can enhance employee satisfaction by identifying potential burnout or engagement drops, critical for sectors with high turnover rates.

To ensure alignment with institutional expectations, organizations should engage stakeholders early in the adoption of AI and IoT technologies, addressing concerns around fairness, transparency, and efficiency. Establishing governance frameworks for ethical AI and IoT use, piloting technologies before full-scale deployment, and implementing feedback loops are crucial for maintaining relevance to institutional norms. Cross-institutional collaboration with regulatory bodies and technology providers further ensures that emerging technologies meet operational needs while aligning with regulatory and ethical standards.

Leadership and cultural alignment are essential to successful HR digital transformation in creative and tourism industries. Leaders must champion the adoption of flexible, scalable systems that can adapt to the fluctuating workforce needs typical of these sectors. Modular platforms allow organizations to integrate new features as business needs evolve, ensuring scalability and flexibility. Data-driven decision-making through workforce analytics enables organizations to optimize recruitment, retention, and training strategies, addressing sector-specific challenges such as seasonal staffing or skill gaps in creative teams. Partnerships with technology vendors specializing in creative or tourism HR solutions can further ensure that tools are designed to handle the unique demands of these industries.

Ultimately, the focus should be on enhancing the employee experience through user-friendly platforms and self-service tools. In people-centric sectors like creative arts and tourism, digital HR transformation must prioritize the well-being and engagement of the workforce while meeting compliance requirements and driving innovation. By addressing the interplay of mimetic pressures, regulatory frameworks, and emerging technologies, organizations can achieve a digital transformation that balances operational efficiency with creativity and personalization, fostering a competitive edge in their respective industries.

For human resource management, it is essential to know what activities people perform in the company, in any sector of the economy. And in any type of record.

Activities provide information about:

What people do;

Why;

How much it costs.