Digital leadership in the public sector: a scoping review and outlook

Abstract

In an era characterized by rapidly changing technological landscapes, public sector organizations find themselves in a pressing need to initiate efficient digital transformation programs for digital government. Managing digital transformation initiatives has grown increasingly complex, as leaders are often confronted with a plethora of demands that can be conflicting and, at times, difficult to determine and prioritize, especially if any aspect of the capability to transform is missing. Consequently, it has become vital to gain a clear understanding of digital leadership for both practitioners and academics. In this article, we conducted a comprehensive scoping review of recent studies on digital leadership and the individuals who exemplify it–digital leaders. Our thematic analysis allowed us to categorize our findings into succinct conceptual areas including the definition of digital leadership, the theoretical underpinnings, competencies inherent to digital leadership capabilities, critical success factors, and the role of digital leadership within public sector organizations.