Unlocking Employee Agility Through Digital Competency and Empowerment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/abrij.v11i2.8465Keywords:
digital competency, employee agility, employee empowerment, Malaysian public universitiesAbstract
The main objective of this paper is to explore the relationship between Digital Competency and Employee Agility and the moderation effect of employee empowerment among administrators in Malaysian public universities. A quantitative methodology using PLS-SEM analysis conducted on 310 responses collected through the distribution of survey questions using Google Form. Digital Competency (Information and Data Literacy, Communication and Collaboration, Digital Content Creation, Safety and Problem Solving) were found to have a positive significant relationship with Employee Agility. As a moderator, Employee Empowerment was found to strengthen the relationship between Information and Data Literacy and Employee Agility. However, Employee Empowerment was not found to strengthen the relationship between Communication and Collaboration, Digital Content Creation, Safety and Problem Solving and Employee Agility. This research addressed the gap due to the limited study on Employee Agility and Digital Competency. Malaysian public universities leaders should leverage on digital competency in improving digital competence among administrators and focus on the targeted competence area of digital competency. The research also extending the Person-Environment Fit theory as well as creating new insights for Malaysian public universities leaders to leverage on Digital Competency, Employee Agility and Employee Empowerment.
References
Abubakari, M. S., Zakaria, G. A. N., Musa, J., & Kalinaki, E. (2023). Validating the DigComp 2.1 framework among university students across different educational systems. SAGA Journal of Social Sciences, 1(2), 45–60.
Ahmad, N. H., Ismail, Z., & Kamarudin, F. (2023). Building digital competencies for public sector agility: A study of Malaysian higher education administrators. Asian Journal of Public Administration, 45(2), 145–162.
Al-Harthy, M., & Ameen, A. (2023). The role of empowerment in enhancing organizational agility: Evidence from public sector institutions. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 36(2), 233–249.
Al-Samarraie, H. (2022). A scoping review of digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Toward a sustainable adoption in higher education. Education and Information Technologies, 27(1), 1–20.
Ali, H. M., & Ismail, Z. (2023). Transparency and institutional trust in higher education governance. Journal of Institutional Management, 17(1), 88–103
Amanda, F., Yuliana, D., & Bakri, A. (2023). Empowerment and agility in the digital era: Evidence from service industries. Service Management Review, 9(3), 88–105.
Amanda, F., Yuliana, D., & Bakri, A. (2023). Empowerment and agility in the digital era: Evidence from service industries. Service Management Review, 9(3), 88–105.
Baird, K., Tung, A. & Su, S. (2020). Employee Empowerment, Performance Appraisal Quality and Performance. Journal of Management Control, 31, 451–474
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120.
Benson, V., & Morgan, S. (2023). Digital collaboration in higher education: Lessons from post-pandemic teaching practices. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(4), 1021–1037.
Bian, X., Wang, B., Li, K., & Du, Z. (2025). Navigating ethical decision-making in digital transformation: Ethical climate, digital competence, and person–organization fit. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-X
Bux, A., Zhu, Y., & Devi, S. (2025). Enhancing organizational agility through knowledge sharing and open innovation: The role of transformational leadership in digital transformation. Sustainability, 17(15), 6765.
Cabero-Almenara, J., & Palacios-Rodriguez, A. (2020). Digital competence of pre-service teachers in Spain: Didactic use of digital resources. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 25(4), 1–18.
Cable, D. M., & Edwards, J. R. (2004). Complementary and supplementary fit: A theoretical and empirical integration. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 822-834
Carretero, S., Vuorikari, R., & Punie, Y. (2017). DigComp 2.1: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens with eight proficiency levels and examples of use. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/38842](https://doi.org/10.2760/38842)
Castaneda, L., Esteve-Mon, F., Adell-Segura, J., & Llopis-Neira, M. J. (2021). Digital competence in higher education research: A systematic review. Education and Information Technologies, 26(5), 5481–5504.
Cheng, L., Li, Y., Li, W., Holm, E., & Zhai, Q. (2021). Understanding the violation of IS security policy in organizations: An integrated model based on social control and deterrence theory. Computers & Security, 106, 102289.
Ciampi, F., Demi, S., Magrini, A., Marzi, G., & Papa, A. (2021). Exploring the impact of big data analytics capabilities on business model innovation: The mediating role of dynamic capabilities. Journal of Business Research, 129, 135–148.
Cortellazzo, L., Bruni, E., & Zampieri, R. (2019). The role of leadership in a digitalized world: A review. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1938.
Data Society. (2025). Data literacy for the future workforce. Data Society Research Report.
Dawis, R.V., England, G.W., & Lofquist, L.H. (1964). A Theory of Work Adjustment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Echtenbruck, S., Brovelli, M., Fitsilis, P., Schon, S., & Mertens, A. (2025). Towards a competence model for data literacy in higher education: The DaLI project.
Edwards, J. R. & Shipp, A. J. (2007). The relationship between person-environment fit and outcomes: An integrative theoretical framework. In C. Ostroff & T. A. Judge (Eds). Perspectives on organizational fit. (pp. 209-258). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Emerald Insight. (2023). The impact of digital technology training on developing academics’ digital competence in higher education context. Education + Training.
ENISA. (2021). Cybersecurity skills development in the EU. European Union Agency for Cybersecurity.
European Commission. (2019). Key competences for lifelong learning. Publications Office of the European Union.
European Commission. (2021). Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027): Resetting education and training for the digital age. Publications Office of the European Union. https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital/education-action-plan
Fitsilis, P., Damasiotis, V., Dervenis, C., Kyriatzis, V., & Tsoutsa, P. (2024). Effective data stewardship in higher education: Skills, competences, and the emerging role of open data stewards.
Fitsilis, P., Gkoumas, D., & Tsakonas, G. (2024). Developing data stewardship curricula for higher education.
Galanti, T., Cortini, M., & Fantinelli, S. (2024). Digital competence and innovative work behavior among university staff: A pathway to agility. Administrative Sciences, 13(5), 131.
Garcia-Holgado, A., Camacho Diaz, A., & Garcia-Penalvo, F. J. (2021). Validation of the DigComp-based instrument for self-assessment of university students’ digital competence. Sustainability, 13(21), 12184.
González-Calatayud, V., Roman-Garcia, S., & Prendes-Espinosa, M. P. (2021). Digital competence of university students: A systematic literature review.Revista de Educacion a Distancia (RED), 21(65), 1–24.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). Rethinking some of the rethinking of partial least squares. European Journal of Marketing, 53(4), 566–584.
Hanifah, R., & Wicaksana, A. (2023). Psychological empowerment and its influence on employee agility: A study of manufacturing SMEs. Journal of Management Psychology, 38(4), 275–292.
Harsch, K., & Festing, M. (2020). Dynamic talent management capabilities and organizational agility—A qualitative exploration. Human Resource Management, 59(1), 43–61.
Heliyon. (2024). Knowledge-intensive teamwork development through social media adoption after the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education institutions. Heliyon, 10(5), e2241.
Hoffman, B. J., & Woehr, D. J. (2006). A quantitative review of the relationship between person–organization fit and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(3), 389-399.
Holland, J. L. (1959). A theory of vocational choice. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 6(1), 35.
Ibrahim, R., & Jaafar, N. (2023). Ethical leadership and strategic university governance in Malaysia. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 45(1), 89–106
Ilomaki, L., Paavola, S., Lakkala, M., & Kantosalo, A. (2019). Digital competence – An emergent boundary concept for policy and educational research. Education and Information Technologies, 24(3), 1085–1104.
Jamaludin, R., & Mahmud, M. (2024). Embedding information and data literacy in Malaysian higher education: Policy and practice. International Journal of Educational Development, 97,102671.
Jamaludin, R., Yusof, N., & Ismail, H. (2025). Digital competence and academic performance: Evidence from Malaysian undergraduates. Asian Journal of University Education, 21(2), 55–72.
Joint Research Centre (JRC). (2025). The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp). European Commission. https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/digcomp
Kabakuş, A. T., Demir, S., & Bayraktar, O. (2023). The mediating role of digital literacy in technology acceptance among administrative staff in higher education. Information Development, 39(4), 483–494.
Kaplan, J.D. (1950). Dialogues of Plato. New York: Washington Square Press.
Katherine, L. (2020). Digital safety in the age of pervasive technology. Journal of Information Security Research, 9(2), 45–57.
Kristof‐Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D., & Johnson, E. C. (2005). Consequences Of Individuals'fit at work: A meta‐analysis of person–job, person–organization, person–group, and person–supervisor fit. Personnel Psychology, 58(2), 281-342.
Kutscher, E., Grau, C., & Schmitz, A. (2025). Predicting program-specific first-year persistence in higher education: The role of person–environment fit. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1529490. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.152949
Lai, H., Smith, J., & Chen, L. (2021). Digital competency and employee agility in the digital workplace: A sectoral analysis. Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, 31(2), 123–140.
Lazanyi, K., & Virglerova, Z. (2018). Perceived risks of digital transformation in business. Journal of International Studies, 11(4), 220–232.
Le, T. H., Pole, S., & Nguyen, H. (2024). Exploring digital fluency skills among the workforce as a competitive advantage for sustainability. Journal of Business and Sustainable Innovation, 12(2), 44–61.
Leonardi, P. M. (2018). The social media revolution: Sharing and learning in the age of leaky knowledge. Information and Organization, 28(1), 47–59.
Li, Y., Zhang, H., & Chen, L. (2024). Data storytelling for learning: Enhancing students’ data literacy with visualization and narrative. Computers & Education, 204,104791.
Lopez, M. R., & Heredia, A. (2022). Collaborative pedagogies in digital learning environments: Enhancing communication and teamwork skills. Computers & Education, 184,104518.
Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE). (2023). Annual report 2023. Putrajaya: Ministry of Higher Education.
Muduli, A., Pandya, G., & Baral, R. (2023). Employee agility for sustainable organizations: A review and research agenda. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 36(4), 615–632.
Muduli, A., Pandya, G., & Mittal, R. (2021). Employee agility: A critical review and future research agenda. Human Resource Development Review, 20(3), 294–317.
Muneer, S., Khalid, A., & Farooq, M. (2024). Digital transformation, empowerment, and performance: The mediating role of psychological factors. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 14(2), 100–118.
Nakatumba-Nabende, J., Nanyonga, C., & Mugisha, J. (2023). Assessing digital competence in higher education: A gender analysis of the DigComp 2.1 framework in Uganda. International Journal of Digital Learning, 4(1), 15–29
Naseer, A., & Ahmad, S. (2023). Employee empowerment and organizational agility in the public sector: A systematic review. Public Administration Quarterly, 47(2), 145–170.
Nazir, S., Shafi, A., Atif, M., Qun, W., & Abdullah, S. M. (2022). From agility to resilience: The role of digital capabilities and empowering leadership. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 174, 121202.
Nazir, S., Tiwari, A., & Singh, P. (2022). Employee agility in digital workplaces: Mediating role of resilience and continuous learning. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(6), 1032–1049.
Nguyen, Q., Bui, H., & Pervan, S. (2021). Leadership in higher education: A systematic review. Studies in Higher Education, 46(7), 1330–1349.
Pahayahay, A. P. (2025). Enhancing collaboration through Google Workspace: Assessing and strengthening current practices.
Pelaez-Sanchez, I. C., Glasserman-Morales, L. D., & Rocha-Feregrino, G. (2024). Exploring digital competencies in higher education: Design and validation of instruments for the era of Industry 5.0. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1415800.
Qin, R., & Nembhard, D. A. (2015). Workforce agility in operations management. Survey and framework, 15(2), 1–14. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-015-0100-y
Raghavan, K. S., & Parthiban, G. (2014). Information security and agility: An integrated approach. Information Management & Computer Security, 22(1), 47–65.
Rahim, A., & Ghazali, N. (2023). Strengthening information literacy and governance in Malaysian higher education. Journal of Governance and Integrity, 7(2), 45–60.
Rapanta, C., Botturi, L., Goodyear, P., Guàrdia, L., & Koole, M. (2020). Online university teaching during and after the COVID-19 crisis: Refocusing teacher presence and learning activity. Postdigital Science and Education, 2(3), 923–945
SA Journal of Human Resource Management. (2024). The role of digital competence in improving service quality and performance in public service organizations. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(1), a2387. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v22i0.2387
Salleh, F., Abdullah, A., & Yusof, R. (2024). From fragmentation to integration: University governance reform in Asia. Journal of Comparative Education, 48(1), 77–95.
Sarker, S., Xiao, X., Beaulieu, T., & Lee, A. S. (2019). Learning from first-generation digital natives: An empirical study of smartphone usage in the classroom. MIS Quarterly, 43(1), 201–214.
Scholten, M., Wessels, B., & Faber, S. (2024). The rise of data stewards: Embedding information and data literacy in research governance. Higher Education Policy, 37(3), 421–439.
Sherehiy, B., & Karwowski, W. (2014). The relationship between work organization and workforce agility in small manufacturing enterprises. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 44(3), 466–473.
Snyder, K. A., & Brewer, B. B. (2019). Workforce agility. Nursing Management (Springhouse), 50(8), 46–50. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NUMA. 0000575324. 93453.5f
Spante, M., Hashemi, S. S., Lundin, M., & Algers, A. (2018). Digital competence and digital literacy in higher education research: Systematic review of concept use. Cogent Education, 5(1), 1519143. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 2331186X. 2018.1519143
Spreitzer, G. M. (2008). Taking stock: A review of more than twenty years of research on empowerment at work. Handbook of Organizational Behavior, 54–72.
Subariyanti, D., Hamzah, N., & Lestari, R. (2025). Digital competence and organizational agility: A conceptual synthesis. International Journal of Digital Transformation, 4(1), 1–20.
Tejada-Gomez, M., García-Holgado, A., Garcia-Penalvo, F. J., & Vazquez-Ingelmo, A. (2024). Assessment of digital competencies in higher education students: Design and validation of a scale. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1354231. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1354231
Thomas, K. W., & Velthouse, B. A. (1990). Cognitive elements of empowerment: An “interpretive” model of intrinsic task motivation. Academy of Management Review, 15(4), 666–681.
Vaino, K., Rannikmae, M., Soobard, R., & Holbrook, J. (2023). Assessing teachers’ digital competence in primary and secondary education: Scale development and validation. Education and Information Technologies, 28(5), 5871–5892. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11592-7
Van Laar, E., van Deursen, A. J. A. M., van Dijk, J. A. G. M., & de Haan, J. (2020). Determinants of 21st-century digital skills: A systematic literature review. Computers in Human Behavior, 111, 106–112.
van Laar, E., van Deursen, A. J., van Dijk, J. A., & de Haan, J. (2020). Measuring the levels of 21st-century digital skills among professionals. International Journal of Digital Literacy and Digital Competence, 11(1), 1–20.
Verquer, M. L., Beehr, T. A., & Wagner, S. H. (2003). A meta-analysis of relations between person-organization fit and work attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63, 473-48
Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S., & Punie, Y. (2020). University students’ digital competence in three areas of the DigComp 2.1 model: A comparative study at three European universities. European Journal of Education, 55(4), 495–510.
Watson, D. (2011). The uses of data in higher education. Oxford Review of Education, 37(4), 469–483.
Wijaya, A. P., Khoiruddin, M., Wijayanto, A., & Zaenuri, A. (2024). Enhancing higher education transformation through effective change management: The role of employee agility. International Journal of Scientific Research and Management, 12(8).
Wijaya, A., Putra, R., & Nurhayati, S. (2024). The role of digital skills in shaping agile behavior among employees in Indonesian tech firms. Asian Journal of Business and Technology, 12(1), 45–60.
Yusof, N., & Hassan, R. (2022). Digital transformation in Malaysian higher education: Challenges and opportunities. Asian Journal of University Education, 18(4), 960–975.
Zhou, J., Wang, L., & Chen, Y. (2024). Pathways to innovative work behavior and job performance: The role of person–organization fit in public sector organizations. Public Management Review, 26(3), 415–435. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2023.2261129
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Siti Zaleha Ahmad Nadzim, Hasliza Abdul Halim
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
