Digitalization in Orphan Care Administration: Guidelines, Challenges, and Critical Success Factors An Interpretive Study

Abstract

Digitalization is an emerging approach in public and nonprofit sector administration. It aims to enhance operational efficiency, streamline administrative tasks, and improve the overall quality of services. As orphan care centers in Saudi Arabia attempt to modernize their management systems, there is a growing need to provide practical digitalization guidelines. These guidelines can assist institutions in transitioning from traditional practices to digitally supported operations. To gain a thorough understanding of digitalization in orphan care administration, the issue must be examined from multiple perspectives, focusing on the following questions: A) How can orphan care centers effectively adopt digitalization?; B) What are the challenges that may hinder this transition?; C) What strategies can address these challenges?; and D) What are the key success factors that support a smooth and ethical digitalization? In response to these gaps in understanding, a qualitative interpretive multi-case study is proposed. The research includes a set of semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from various orphan care institutions. Insights drawn from these interviews inform a set of digitalization guidelines tailored to the unique administrative and ethical needs of orphan care. These guidelines address key elements such as gradual implementation, staff training, ethical data management, and the integration of digital tools without compromising humancentered care. The study not only identifies the administrative and cultural challenges of digitalization in orphan care but also proposes actionable strategies to overcome them. Based on the findings, the most common challenges include resistance to change, financial constraints, data privacy concerns, and the potential loss of human interaction in service delivery. Furthermore, the research highlights critical success factors such as leadership support, stakeholder involvement, sustainable planning, and continuous evaluation. These factors are essential to achieving successful digitalization while maintaining the quality and humanity of orphan care services. This study provides a valuable contribution to the academic literature and practical field. It offers evidence-based guidelines and highlights both the potential and limitations of digitalization in orphan care administration, paving the way for more efficient and compassionate service delivery.