Abstract
The advent of 4IR has resulted in an accelerated pace of change that transforms all spheres of work and life. The study aimed to develop and validate a digital leadership competency framework that will enable employees across the various levels and generational cohorts to remain relevant in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The leadership competencies are required to be demonstrated by both formal (resulting from their designation) and informal leaders (all employees facing disruptive change), which is required to be successful in the current fast-paced context. The value-differences among the various generational cohorts and hierarchical levels impact how acknowledged competencies are demonstrated. Consequently, digital leadership competencies are required to support employees in navigating through the ever-evolving digital environment successfully. The digital leadership competencies serve as complementors to existing technical and domain skills required to perform specific job roles.
A mixed-methods study approach was deemed appropriate, given the state of prior learning and investigation into the topic. A qualitative approach was initially followed as part of Phase 1, in which 11 management-level employees from the case study organisation participated in the study. In Phase 2, a quantitative approach was followed, in which 241 respondents from the case study organisation provided their feedback to the online survey questionnaire. The analysis conducted on the qualitative study indicated a six-cluster digital leadership competency framework. The identified themes were (a) embracing digital, (b) leadership facilitating the digital drive, (c) digital skills, (d) cultivating a digital culture, (e) digital adaptiveness and resilience, and (f) digital competitive intelligence, together with their sub-themes. The quantitative analysis, while validating the six-cluster framework, culminated in a more concise digital leadership competency scale, highlighting the key components within each cluster theme. An integrated digital leadership competency framework was derived from the consolidated qualitative and quantitative analyses, highlighting the internal and external factors and the leadership and organisation cultural context.
Applying the digital leadership competency scale will assist managers embarking on a digital journey to assess and develop the associated digital leadership competencies
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A DIGITAL LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
that employees require to successfully traverse the rapid change of digitalisation and remain relevant in the era of 4IR. The framework provides an understanding of the digital leadership competencies as complementing the existing job technical requirements, which will enable employees to remain relevant in an era of 4IR. Moreover, the framework provides insight into the digital leadership competencies required by all employees and, if acted upon, can ensure success in navigating the current context of 4IR, while achieving the organisation’s digital strategy.
Keywords: change, competency framework, digital, digital leadership, digital transformation, Fourth Industrial Revolution, leadership competence, qualitative, quantitative