Subject: Information System Science
Title: Onboarding Business Domains into a Data Mesh: A Kotter-Based Change Enablement Framework Tested at Toyota Motor Europe
Abstract:
As organisations adopt decentralised data architectures like Data Mesh, many struggle to operationalise new roles such as Data Product Owner or Domain Data Steward. While technical aspects are well-documented, the organisational and behavioural dimensions, particularly the onboarding of business stakeholders, remain underexplored. This thesis investigates how large enterprises can enable successful role adoption during a Data Mesh transformation. Based on a qualitative case study at Toyota Motor Europe and using abductive reasoning, the study proposes the Data Mesh Change Enablement Framework, an adapted eight-step change model inspired by Kotter’s theory but tailored to decentralised contexts. The framework emphasises contextualised urgency, multi-level coalitions, co-created role narratives, peer-driven acceleration, and institutional anchoring. Grounded in empirical data, the framework offers a practical yet flexible tool for guiding change in large-scale data transformations.
Key words: Data Mesh, Change Management, Decentralised Data Governance, Business Stakeholder Onboarding, Data Product Owner, Federated Architecture, Kotter’s 8-Step Model, Qualitative Case Study, Toyota Motor Europe.