The role of digital transformation strategy in building the advantages of competitive superiority: the mediating role of knowledge leadership, an analytical study of the opinions of a sample of teachers at the Northern Technical University/ Iraq

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the role of digital transformation strategy, with its dimensions of managerial capabilities and operational capabilities, in building competitive superiority across its dimensions of sensing advantage, system advantage, social advantage, simulation advantage, and human resource advantage, through knowledge leadership represented by its dimensions of leadership skills, collaboration and trust, and knowledge integration and creativity, in the Iraqi higher education and scientific research context. The descriptive-analytical method was adopted through data collection, analysis, and scheduling using a primary data collection tool represented by a questionnaire. The Northern Technical University was chosen as the field of study, with the study population consisting of all faculty members at the Northern Technical University, totaling 1100 teaching staff. A sample of 285 teaching staff was drawn from this population using Steven Thompson's formula. The questionnaire was distributed to the sampled population, and 275 questionnaires were retrieved, with 5 of them being defective and thus invalid for analysis, resulting in a final valid sample of 270 questionnaires.
The study found a fundamental result indicating that the digital transformation strategy, through its capabilities, influences the construction of competitive superiority, with an impact rate of 32%. This impact is magnified through the mediating role of the relationship between them through knowledge leadership by 61%, meaning that the overall impact is 93%. This underscores the imperative necessity for Iraqi universities to adopt a digital transformation strategy in all its facets, including the Northern Technical University. This is achieved by enhancing both managerial and operational capabilities related to digital transformation, as well as the necessity to establish relationships with external parties to acquire knowledge that complements internal knowledge. Furthermore, it is essential to incentivize creative behavior among employees to generate new ideas that enhance competitive advantages.