Organisational digital capability: a cross-country review of guidance
Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning
ISSN: 2042-3896
Article publication date: 26 December 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Digital transformation continues to rapidly progress in higher education globally, spanning all aspects of higher education operations, values and culture. Despite expanding literature, guidance remains focussed on emergency application during pandemic lockdowns and/or on single organisational case studies. Digital transformation frameworks that move beyond these foci are heavily criticised for being commercially contextualised (outside of higher education) and are often too narrowly conceptualised. The purpose of this paper is to review the most common framework currently used in the UK, which takes a strategic and organisational perspective on digital transformation.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a technical review article that summarises key guidance for organisational digital capability and then reflects on its application in the UK (a developed economy and higher education system) and in Vietnam (one of the fastest-growing economies with a developing higher education committed to digital transformation) as an initial attempt to explore its applicability beyond the UK context. Vietnam has been chosen as a reference context, given its significant current digital transformation policy reform at the national level and as a collaboration partner with the UK in its digital transformation.
Findings
The guidance highlights six core areas to consider for digital capability: information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, content and information, research and innovation, communication, learning, teaching and assessment and organisational digital culture. Although the framework is normative, findings suggest it is sufficiently open-ended to enable its users to determine practical steps to drive digital transformation. However, complementary tools are suggested to deal with the rapidly developing digital transformation policy context of Vietnam.
Originality/value
This is the first time a review has been conducted from the perspective of different countries, with a view to supporting leaders, managers and policymakers in the UK, Vietnam and other Association of South Eastern Nations (ASEAN) networks in their own digital transformation transitions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper was made possible through the Digi:Doi Consortium. The Digi:Doi Consortium is funded by a UK-Viet Nam Partnerships for Quality and Internationalisation grant from the British Council. The UK-Viet Nam Partnerships for Quality and Internationalisation grants support capacity building, knowledge exchange and collaboration activities between UK and Viet Nam higher education sector at system and institution level in digital transformation.
UK-Viet Nam Partnerships for Quality and Internationalisation is part of a wider British Council programme called Going Global Partnerships, which builds stronger, more inclusive, internationally connected higher education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems.
Citation
Wall, T., Ngo, N., Nguyễn Hữu, C., Lan, P.N. and Knight, S. (2023), "Organisational digital capability: a cross-country review of guidance", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-06-2023-0157
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited