In a context where the French government is prioritizing digital transformation, the issues related to its appropriation by the actors of the public administration represent an important challenge. This research investigated the appropriation and the factors that influence this process by conducting an actor-centered study in a departmental administration. Drawing on the literature on the adoption and appropriation of technology (DeSanctis & Pool, 1994), and sensemaking theory (Weick, 1993, 1995), we propose a comparative perspective to investigate how managers and agents engage differently in the appropriation process. The methodology used is one of an – ongoing - longitudinal intervention research. Results from qualitative investigation indicate that appropriation of digital transformation in the public administration is shaped by the meanings created by the actors during their interactions with “the new reality” induced by this transformation, and is influenced by many structural, organizational, and individual factors.
