The role of leadership in digital transformation – a paradox way to improve operational performance

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Titel: The role of leadership in digital transformation – a paradox way to improve operational performance
Autoren: Kitti Dióssy, Dávid Losonci, Márta Aranyossy, Krisztina Demeter
Quelle: Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. 36:88-113
Verlagsinformationen: Emerald, 2025.
Publikationsjahr: 2025
Beschreibung: Purpose Leadership has been identified as a crucial driver of efficient deployment of any Operations Management (OM) paradigm. Our work focuses on digitalisation, a recent OM paradigm, and analyses the mediating effect of digital transformation (DT) on the relationship between task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership styles (LSs) and operational performance (OP) improvements in the manufacturing context. Design/methodology/approach The authors employed survey data from Hungarian manufacturing firms. Hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling. Findings Task-oriented and relationship-oriented LSs exert distinct influences on DT and OP improvements. The results indicated that task-oriented LS drives OP improvements through its impact on DT. The relationship-oriented LS does not influence DT. Regarding the implications for OP improvements, we revealed a leadership paradox as the indirect positive impact of task-oriented LS may be offset by the direct negative influence of relationship-oriented LS. Research limitations/implications The results are most pertinent to manufacturing firms that have already started their digital journey. Further studies must clarify how managers’ cultural embeddedness (i.e. general perceptions about efficient leadership in their country or region, national culture) could influence findings. Finally, to learn about the effective long-term behaviours of leaders might require different empirical methods. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents one of the first survey-based examinations of CEOs on the ways how LSs drive the effective deployment of DT in manufacturing firms. Our findings demonstrate a leadership paradox at the nascent stages of DT in manufacturing firms.
Publikationsart: Article
Sprache: English
ISSN: 1758-7786
1741-038X
DOI: 10.1108/jmtm-07-2024-0386
Dokumentencode: edsair.doi...........0e37458998fbd34680edd7b42f7534df
Datenbank: OpenAIRE
Beschreibung
Abstract:Purpose Leadership has been identified as a crucial driver of efficient deployment of any Operations Management (OM) paradigm. Our work focuses on digitalisation, a recent OM paradigm, and analyses the mediating effect of digital transformation (DT) on the relationship between task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership styles (LSs) and operational performance (OP) improvements in the manufacturing context. Design/methodology/approach The authors employed survey data from Hungarian manufacturing firms. Hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling. Findings Task-oriented and relationship-oriented LSs exert distinct influences on DT and OP improvements. The results indicated that task-oriented LS drives OP improvements through its impact on DT. The relationship-oriented LS does not influence DT. Regarding the implications for OP improvements, we revealed a leadership paradox as the indirect positive impact of task-oriented LS may be offset by the direct negative influence of relationship-oriented LS. Research limitations/implications The results are most pertinent to manufacturing firms that have already started their digital journey. Further studies must clarify how managers’ cultural embeddedness (i.e. general perceptions about efficient leadership in their country or region, national culture) could influence findings. Finally, to learn about the effective long-term behaviours of leaders might require different empirical methods. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents one of the first survey-based examinations of CEOs on the ways how LSs drive the effective deployment of DT in manufacturing firms. Our findings demonstrate a leadership paradox at the nascent stages of DT in manufacturing firms.
ISSN:17587786
1741038X
DOI:10.1108/jmtm-07-2024-0386