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Rysbekova, Gulzhan (2026) Digital transformation as psychological contract reconfiguration: empirical foundations of the MIRTE framework and implications for AI-enabled change. In: The 40th edition of the BAM Conference, 7 - 11 September, 2026, Royal Holloway, University of London. (In Press)
Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation are often presented as strategic imperatives, yet many initiatives fail to deliver anticipated value. This paper argues that such failures stem less from technological capability and more from how organisations manage evolving reciprocal obligations. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 30 UK academics during pandemic-induced digital transition, the study conceptualises transformation as multi-domain psychological contract reconfiguration rather than isolated breach events. Using a Gioia-informed approach, findings reveal simultaneous recalibration across Meaning-making, Ideological, Relational, and Transactional contract domains, alongside Attitudinal and Behavioural Effects, as captured in the MIRTE framework. Sensemaking processes mediate how organisational actions are appraised, while attitudinal and behavioural outcomes recursively shape future interpretations. Although grounded in digital disruption, these mechanisms are structurally analogous to AI-enabled contexts characterised by opacity and redistributed discretion. The paper advances psychological contract theory and offers a practical framework for diagnosing and managing people-side transformation risk in future-of-work settings.
![[thumbnail of 260612 LMU repository BAM26 MIRTE submitted.pdf]](https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/style/images/fileicons/text.png "260612 LMU repository BAM26 MIRTE submitted.pdf")
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