Close but far away about leader competence and organizational capability to lead in a digital world

Purpose and goal

The purpose of this project is to study challenges and possibilities in leadership situated in a digitally based telework context to increase the knowledge on how such leadership may be developed and how it may facilitate an organisational ability for innovation and change. Based on the knowledge developed with the organisations in step 1, the project, in step 2, will be implemented through a qualitatively focused interactive case study design where telework leadership in three organizational contexts will be studied.

Expected results and effects

The project is expected to contribute to the development of new, theoretically informed knowledge at the intersection of leadership and digitalisation. Based on competence theory and how competence can enable organizational ability, the project thus contributes with knowledge of how individual leadership competence, in a digital work context, can enable organizational ability to better lead with the support of digital tools and working methods.

Planned approach and implementation

The project will be conducted using a qualitative, interactive, case study design. Regular, pre-planned workshops will be held held with project partners to get feedback, ensure agreement and to make decisions throughout the project. Based on the ideas, understanding and knowledge developed together with the project partners during step 1, the identified challenges will be studied in four phases spread over two years: Year one covers phase 1, Inventory of type situations and phase 2, Base line measurement. Year two covers phase 3, Intervention/test, and phase 4 Follow-up.