Identification of Digital Leadership Components in Universities of Mazandaran Province

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the components of digital leadership in the universities of Mazandaran Province. The research was applied in terms of purpose and qualitative with an exploratory mixed design in terms of data nature. Accordingly, in the qualitative phase, based on grounded theory, a descriptive–survey method was used to identify the components of digital leadership in the universities of Mazandaran Province. The statistical population consisted of all experts in the scientific community as well as academic specialists, managers, and planners of universities in Mazandaran Province. The sampling method was theoretical purposive and aligned with the principle of theoretical saturation; thus, 14 individuals were selected as the sample. Data collection in the qualitative part was performed through semi-structured interviews. The validity and reliability of the research were confirmed. Based on the qualitative findings, six key components of digital leadership within the context of higher education were identified. These components were extracted using three-stage coding (open, axial, and selective) and the analysis of more than 60 initial concepts. They represent the main dimensions of the role of academic leaders in the process of digital transformation. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed eleven main components related to innovative organizational culture in the universities of Mazandaran Province. Each component reflects the internal and external mechanisms that influence the institutionalization of innovation in the academic environment. These findings indicate that an innovative organizational culture is not merely the product of macro-level policymaking or managerial decisions but rather the outcome of the dynamic interaction between structural, human, value-based, and technological factors.