The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization
Digital transformation (DT) is a strategic imperative for organizations striving to remain competitive and adaptive in an evolving business environment. Leadership is central to achieving sustainable DT, as it drives innovation, resilience, and long-term strategic alignment. This review explores the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Sustainable Futures |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500694X |
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| author | Dharmendra Hariyani Poonam Hariyani Sanjeev Mishra |
| author_facet | Dharmendra Hariyani Poonam Hariyani Sanjeev Mishra |
| author_sort | Dharmendra Hariyani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Digital transformation (DT) is a strategic imperative for organizations striving to remain competitive and adaptive in an evolving business environment. Leadership is central to achieving sustainable DT, as it drives innovation, resilience, and long-term strategic alignment. This review explores the role of leadership in the success of sustainable DT. A systematic review methodology was employed, using targeted keyword searches in the Scopus database. A total of 224 relevant articles, from 2011 to 2024, were included in the study based on the review objectives. The review reveals that transformational, adaptive, and ethical leadership styles are instrumental in driving sustainable DT by shaping an organizational culture, articulating a sustainability-aligned digital vision, and fostering stakeholder engagement. Key findings show that leadership significantly influences sustainable DT outcomes through six integrated mechanisms: strategic alignment, change management, talent empowerment, ecosystem collaboration, regulatory adaptation, and stakeholder value creation. Moreover, the study identifies persistent challenges such as legacy systems, skills gaps, and fragmented governance, and proposes evidence-based leadership strategies to overcome these barriers. The review also provides a synthesized framework that maps leadership roles to specific SDG targets, offering a practical lens for aligning digital initiatives with global sustainability objectives. This framework guides leadership development and policy design by clarifying how leadership integrates sustainability into DT initiatives, thereby advancing theoretical discourse and offering practical insights for fostering inclusive, responsible, and resilient DT. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a4e07b46ce0549f2a4131dcb08db231d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-1888 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sustainable Futures |
| spelling | doaj-art-a4e07b46ce0549f2a4131dcb08db231d2025-08-20T03:36:06ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-12-011010113010.1016/j.sftr.2025.101130The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organizationDharmendra Hariyani0Poonam Hariyani1Sanjeev Mishra2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Swami Keshvanand Institute of Technology, Management and Gramothan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India; Corresponding author.Department of Chemistry, JECRC University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, IndiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University Department of Teaching, Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, Rajasthan, IndiaDigital transformation (DT) is a strategic imperative for organizations striving to remain competitive and adaptive in an evolving business environment. Leadership is central to achieving sustainable DT, as it drives innovation, resilience, and long-term strategic alignment. This review explores the role of leadership in the success of sustainable DT. A systematic review methodology was employed, using targeted keyword searches in the Scopus database. A total of 224 relevant articles, from 2011 to 2024, were included in the study based on the review objectives. The review reveals that transformational, adaptive, and ethical leadership styles are instrumental in driving sustainable DT by shaping an organizational culture, articulating a sustainability-aligned digital vision, and fostering stakeholder engagement. Key findings show that leadership significantly influences sustainable DT outcomes through six integrated mechanisms: strategic alignment, change management, talent empowerment, ecosystem collaboration, regulatory adaptation, and stakeholder value creation. Moreover, the study identifies persistent challenges such as legacy systems, skills gaps, and fragmented governance, and proposes evidence-based leadership strategies to overcome these barriers. The review also provides a synthesized framework that maps leadership roles to specific SDG targets, offering a practical lens for aligning digital initiatives with global sustainability objectives. This framework guides leadership development and policy design by clarifying how leadership integrates sustainability into DT initiatives, thereby advancing theoretical discourse and offering practical insights for fostering inclusive, responsible, and resilient DT.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500694XSustainable digital transformationRole of leadershipSustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Competitiveness and modern business environmentChange management |
| spellingShingle | Dharmendra Hariyani Poonam Hariyani Sanjeev Mishra The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization Sustainable Futures Sustainable digital transformation Role of leadership Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Competitiveness and modern business environment Change management |
| title | The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization |
| title_full | The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization |
| title_fullStr | The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization |
| title_short | The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization |
| title_sort | role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization |
| topic | Sustainable digital transformation Role of leadership Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Competitiveness and modern business environment Change management |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500694X |
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