The Determinants of Digital Leadership: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Digital leadership has become a critical organizational capability as firms, public agencies, universities, and healthcare systems increasingly depend on digitally mediated work, data-intensive decision-making, platform infrastructures, and artificial intelligence. Yet its determinants remain conceptually fragmented because the literature often treats digital leadership as a broad mixture of managerial style, technological knowledge, organizational culture, and transformation readiness. This systematic review addresses that problem by synthesizing evidence on four focal determinants: technological competence, strategic vision, innovation orientation, and organizational agility. Guided by PRISMA 2020, the review applied a structured search, screening, and thematic synthesis protocol across scholarly search engines, publisher databases, DOI-linked records, and backward citation tracing for studies published between January 2020 and April 2026. Of 286 records initially identified, 40 peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria for thematic synthesis. The evidence indicates that technological competence enables leaders to interpret digital tools, data, and AI-enabled systems; strategic vision converts technological awareness into coherent organizational direction; innovation orientation legitimizes experimentation; and organizational agility translates digital intent into adaptive execution. The synthesis further shows that these determinants do not operate independently. Digital leadership is strongest when leaders combine technological credibility with strategic direction, innovation-supportive routines, and agile organizational structures. The review contributes a focused framework that clarifies the antecedent structure of digital leadership and offers a precise basis for future empirical testing.