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Communications of the Association for Information Systems

Author ORCID Identifier

Alvedi Sabani: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6628-8092

Mohammad Alamgir Hossain: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4292-8478

Putra Endi Catyanadika: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4452-970X

Dian Retno Sari Dewi: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9723-0667

Mohamed H. Farah: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3550-8619

Abstract

Digital transformation in higher education is widely promoted as central to Education 4.0, an era defined by artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven learning. Yet many institutions encounter digital hesitation—a nuanced form of resistance that reflects not only technical concerns but also deeper cultural, professional, and value-based tensions. This study applies Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT) to explore how academics hesitate to embrace digital transformation in higher education, focusing on the interplay of multiple perceived barriers. Using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) on data collected from Indonesian universities, the study identifies distinct configurations of hesitation, revealing that no single factor explains opposition. Instead, hesitation arises from specific combinations of usage barriers, value skepticism, risk concerns, image dissonance, and attachment to academic tradition. These findings underscore the importance of a configurational approach to understanding hesitation in complex, knowledge-driven environments. The study contributes theoretically by extending application of IRT to the higher education context and demonstrating the value of fsQCA in capturing causal complexity. Practically, it highlights the need for culturally sensitive, inclusive strategies that address both technological and institutional dimensions of change. For university leaders, this means designing digital transformation initiatives that align with professional values and academic identities in meaningful ways.

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