Digital Bridges of Continuity: A Thematic Analysis of Knowledge Management, Digital Transformation, and Succession Planning in Family Businesses

Authors

  • Edmont Pasipamire Pasipamire Rosebank International, Cape Town, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7552-5168
  • Rexwhite Tega Enakrire University of Johannesburg, Department of Information and Knowledge Management, Johannesburg, South Africa rexwhitee@uj.ac.za

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34190/eckm.27.1.5280

Keywords:

digital transformation, knowledge management, family business, succession planning, organisational continuity

Abstract

Digital transformation is reshaping how family businesses manage knowledge for succession planning and intergenerational continuity. This scoping review examines the influence of digital transformation on knowledge management (KM) practices and succession processes in family businesses. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature published between 2000 and 2026, thematic analysis reveals that digital platforms, including knowledge repositories, enterprise social networks, cloud systems, and AI-enabled tools, enhance the codification, sharing, and accessibility of organisational knowledge, thereby supporting continuity during leadership transitions. The review also identifies key challenges, including generational digital divides, resistance to technological adoption, and limited digital literacy. To address these dynamics, the study proposes the Digital Bridge of Continuity, a conceptual model comprising knowledge architecture, knowledge flows, and knowledge culture, moderated by digital maturity, succession readiness, and family governance quality. The findings contribute to understanding how digital transformation can strengthen knowledge continuity and improve succession outcomes in family businesses.

Author Biographies

Edmont Pasipamire Pasipamire, Rosebank International, Cape Town, South Africa

Edmont Pasipamire, Rosebank International, South Africa, epasipamire@rbi.ac.za

Mr. Edmont Pasipamire is a PhD candidate in Library Science (Archives and Libraries in the Digital Environment) at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and an Information Specialist at Rosebank International. He holds a Master’s degree in ICT Information Science from the University of Pretoria and has over 15 years of experience across university, special, and school library environments. He has authored and co-authored more than 12 scholarly works, including four book chapters published by Springer Nature, IGI Global, and Emerald Publishing, as well as conference papers. His research interests include artificial intelligence and digital transformation in libraries, knowledge management, technostress, cybersecurity awareness, information ethics, disinformation studies, and the integration of sustainable development goals in higher education. He has presented at international conferences, including the European Conference on social media, the European Conference on Knowledge Management, and the European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security.
ORCID: 0000-0001-7552-5168

Rexwhite Tega Enakrire, University of Johannesburg, Department of Information and Knowledge Management, Johannesburg, South Africa rexwhitee@uj.ac.za

University of Johannesburg,

Department of Information and Knowledge Management,

Johannesburg, South Africa

rexwhitee@uj.ac.za

Rexwhite Tega Enakrire is an enthusiastic researcher and Associate Professor at the University of
Johannesburg, Department of Information and Knowledge Management, South Africa. He holds a PhD,
MSc, PGDE, BSc, and a Diploma in Library and Information Science. He has attended several international
and national conferences. His research interests include Academic librarianship, information, and
Knowledge Management, ICT4D/AI/Digital Technologies, HCI (UX), Health informatics, and
Bibliometrics/Scientometrics.

Downloads

Published

2026-08-25

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 1 (2026): The Proceedings of the 27th European Conference on Knowledge Management (ECKM 2026) Volume 1

Section

Academic Papers

License

Copyright (c) 2026 European Conference on Knowledge Management

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.