A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformation

Background: Leaders play a crucial role in driving digital transformation (DT), with their leadership style either facilitating or hindering its successful implementation. Objectives: This article explores the direct and indirect relationships between transactional, transformational and digital lea...

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Main Authors: Thembi Mashinini, Tebogo Sethibe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2025-04-01
Series:South African Journal of Information Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/1959
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author Thembi Mashinini
Tebogo Sethibe
author_facet Thembi Mashinini
Tebogo Sethibe
author_sort Thembi Mashinini
collection DOAJ
description Background: Leaders play a crucial role in driving digital transformation (DT), with their leadership style either facilitating or hindering its successful implementation. Objectives: This article explores the direct and indirect relationships between transactional, transformational and digital leadership styles, and their impact on DT. Method: A quantitative approach was used to collect data from 302 managerial and non-managerial participants at a South African utility company via survey. Results: Analysis using IBM SPSS Amos 26 revealed that while transformational and transactional leadership styles indirectly influence DT, digital leadership has a direct and significant impact. Furthermore, digital culture and digital maturity emerged as critical factors, demonstrating strong positive effects on DT success. Conclusion: The study concludes that digital leadership, culture and maturity are key predictors of successful DT, while transformational and transactional leadership styles do not have a direct significant impact on DT outcomes. Contribution: This research provides valuable insights for information systems leaders on the leadership styles and organisational factors that best support DT, offering practical guidance for implementing effective strategies in digital environments.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2078-1865
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language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
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series South African Journal of Information Management
spelling doaj-art-a69252f00a9c43d18e8cf7822f2f8fca2025-08-20T03:48:53ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Information Management2078-18651560-683X2025-04-01271e1e910.4102/sajim.v27i1.1959836A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformationThembi Mashinini0Tebogo Sethibe1Department of Inter-Africa Trade and Responsible Leadership, School of Business Leadership, University of South Africa, MidrandDepartment of Inter-Africa Trade and Responsible Leadership, School of Business Leadership, University of South Africa, Midrand, South Africa; and Department of Information Systems, Agriculture Research Council, PretoriaBackground: Leaders play a crucial role in driving digital transformation (DT), with their leadership style either facilitating or hindering its successful implementation. Objectives: This article explores the direct and indirect relationships between transactional, transformational and digital leadership styles, and their impact on DT. Method: A quantitative approach was used to collect data from 302 managerial and non-managerial participants at a South African utility company via survey. Results: Analysis using IBM SPSS Amos 26 revealed that while transformational and transactional leadership styles indirectly influence DT, digital leadership has a direct and significant impact. Furthermore, digital culture and digital maturity emerged as critical factors, demonstrating strong positive effects on DT success. Conclusion: The study concludes that digital leadership, culture and maturity are key predictors of successful DT, while transformational and transactional leadership styles do not have a direct significant impact on DT outcomes. Contribution: This research provides valuable insights for information systems leaders on the leadership styles and organisational factors that best support DT, offering practical guidance for implementing effective strategies in digital environments.https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/1959digital transformationquantitative methodleadership stylesdigital leadershiptransactionaltransformationalmaturityculture
spellingShingle Thembi Mashinini
Tebogo Sethibe
A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformation
South African Journal of Information Management
digital transformation
quantitative method
leadership styles
digital leadership
transactional
transformational
maturity
culture
title A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformation
title_full A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformation
title_fullStr A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformation
title_full_unstemmed A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformation
title_short A model of the interplay between leadership styles, culture and digital transformation
title_sort model of the interplay between leadership styles culture and digital transformation
topic digital transformation
quantitative method
leadership styles
digital leadership
transactional
transformational
maturity
culture
url https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/1959
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AT tebogosethibe modeloftheinterplaybetweenleadershipstylescultureanddigitaltransformation