Abstract:

As digitalization accelerates, businesses are increasingly adopting digital transformation as a strategic imperative. However, despite its immense potential, many organizations face internal resistance, which hinders the success of digital transformation initiatives. This research proposal introduces reverse mentoring as a promising solution and explores its effectiveness and mechanisms. Unlike traditional mentoring, where senior employees guide junior colleagues, reverse mentoring positions younger employees as mentors, offering technological insights and fresh perspectives to senior counterparts.

The research develops a theoretical framework grounded in the differentiated needs fulfillment perspective, examining how reverse mentoring addresses the distinct needs of senior mentees, young mentors, and the organization. This framework highlights the interconnectedness of these needs and demonstrates how fulfilling them contributes to successful transformation. To begin with, the research refines the definition of reverse mentoring within the digital transformation context and identifies three core functional dimensions: career support, psychological support, and role modeling. These dimensions are instrumental in ensuring that all groups benefit from the mentoring relationship, promoting knowledge sharing and fostering organizational cohesion.

Furthermore, the research explores how reverse mentoring influences senior employees’ adaptation to digital transformation. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), it argues that reverse mentoring enhances senior employees’ digital literacy, which improves their perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of new digital technologies. This leads to more supportive attitudes and behaviors towards digital transformation. The research also explores the moderating role of senior mentees’ downward learning mindset, offering additional insights into individual differences in the adaptation process.

Beyond its impact on senior employees, this research also investigates how reverse mentoring affects young mentors. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), it suggests that reverse mentoring, by involving young mentors in the transformation process, satisfies their psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. This, in turn, strengthens their commitment to digital transformation, ultimately fostering greater responsibility and initiative. The research further discusses how new-generation work values—such as a preference for equality and collaboration—moderate this process.

At the organizational level, the research applies Sensemaking Theory to explore how reverse mentoring contributes to organizational resilience in digital transformation. It emphasizes that reverse mentoring strengthens cross-generational communication, aligns organizational goals, and promotes a shared understanding, ultimately enhancing strategic consensus and improving the organization’s ability to navigate digital transformation challenges. Additionally, the research examines how the intensity of management practices moderates this relationship, further enhancing organizational adaptability and resilience to change.

This research makes several significant theoretical contributions. First, it advances the understanding of reverse mentoring by refining its definition and identifying its structure within the context of digital transformation, thereby enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of this management practices. Second, the research integrates multiple theoretical perspectives—TAM, SDT, and Sensemaking Theory—into a cohesive framework that explains how reverse mentoring addresses both individual and organizational challenges during digital transformation. The framework contributes to the theoretical literature on reverse mentoring, digital transformation, and knowledge management, offering new insights into the role of intergenerational mentoring in modern organizational contexts.

From a practical perspective, this research provides valuable insights for organizations aiming to implement reverse mentoring programs. It underscores the importance of aligning mentoring practices with the specific needs of different stakeholders, thereby fostering a more inclusive and change adaptable organizational culture. By strategically leveraging the strengths of both younger and older employees, reverse mentoring enhances both individual and organizational adaptability, ultimately contributing to a more successful digital transformation process.

In conclusion, this research systematically examines the role of reverse mentoring in facilitating digital transformation by addressing the differentiated needs of employees at different levels. By fulfilling these needs, reverse mentoring serves as a powerful tool to break down resistance during the digital transformation process. This research enriches theoretical understanding and offers practical guidance for organizations seeking to leverage reverse mentoring as a strategic tool for successful digital transformation.

Key words: reverse mentoring, digital transformation, needs fulfillment, personnel barriers