Karen Osmundsen

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About

Dr. Karen Osmundsen is a leading scholar in the digital transformation of organizations, with a primary focus on Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and IT governance. Her seminal 2019 paper, “Organizing Robotic Process Automation: Balancing Loose and Tight Coupling” (55 citations), provides a foundational framework for understanding how organizations can effectively integrate RPA when it is adopted by local business units outside traditional IT control. This work critically examines the tension between flexibility and control, offering a nuanced theory of coupling that helps managers design governance structures that harness RPA’s benefits while mitigating risks. Beyond this landmark study, Osmundsen’s research has shaped how practitioners and academics view the socio-technical dynamics of automation, emphasizing the need for adaptive governance in the face of decentralized technology adoption. Her contributions have been widely cited in information systems and management journals, influencing both theory and practice in enterprise automation. For students and researchers, Osmundsen’s work is essential reading for understanding the organizational challenges of scaling RPA and the delicate balance between innovation and oversight in modern digital workplaces.