Communicative Leadership in Digital Transformation at an Indonesian Private University: Trust, Dialogue, and Resistance Management

Novika Ayu Triany; Muhammad Akbar; Alem Febri Sonni

doi:10.70716/ecoma.v4i3.498

Authors

Novika Ayu Triany PhD Program in Communication Studies, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
Muhammad Akbar Department of Management, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Ciputra Makassar, Indonesia
Alem Febri Sonni Department of Communication Studies, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70716/ecoma.v4i3.498

Keywords:

Communicative Leadership , Digital Transformation, Higher Education Management, Indonesia, Trust, Dialogic Engagement, Resistance Management

Abstract

Digital transformation in higher education is frequently treated as a technical agenda, although its implementation depends on how leaders communicate change, negotiate meaning, and sustain stakeholder commitment. This study examines how communicative leadership supports digital transformation at an Indonesian private university by fostering trust, enabling dialogic engagement, and managing resistance. An exploratory qualitative design was used, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 12 participants consisting of top-level academic leaders, middle-level academic leaders, and senior lecturers, supported by 8 selected institutional documents and 4 non-participant observation events totalling approximately 12 hours. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis with hybrid coding. The analysis shows that communicative leadership operates as a sense-making infrastructure: leaders build institutional and interpersonal trust through transparent and consistent messaging; transform dialogue into stakeholder participation through participatory forums, psychological safety, and feedback loops; and manage resistance by linking structural, workload-related, competence-based, and technological concerns with tailored communication strategies. The study contributes to leadership communication scholarship by showing that digital transformation is sustained not only by technological readiness but also by relational communication practices that convert policy mandates into shared institutional commitment.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Akbari, T. T., & Pratomo, R. R. (2022). Higher education digital transformation implementation in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jurnal Kajian Komunikasi, 10(1), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.24198/jkk.v10i1.38052

Alemu, B. A. (2025). Cultivating a culture of sustainability: The role of organizational values and leadership in driving sustainable practices. Business Ethics and Leadership, 9(1), 79–94.

Aripradono, H. W., Nursyamsi, I., Wahab, A., & Sultan, Z. (2024). Educational technology for the digital transformation of higher education institutions into entrepreneurial universities. Policy & Governance Review, 8(3), 303–322. https://doi.org/10.30589/pgr.v8i3.1019

Benavides, L. M. C., Tamayo Arias, J. A., Arango Serna, M. D., Branch Bedoya, J. W., & Burgos, D. (2020). Digital transformation in higher education institutions: A systematic literature review. Sensors, 20(11), Article 3291. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20113291

Bozkus, K. (2023). Organizational culture change and technology: Navigating the digital transformation. In Organizational culture: Cultural change and technology. IntechOpen.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806

Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

Fairhurst, G. T., & Uhl-Bien, M. (2012). Organizational discourse analysis (ODA): Examining leadership as a relational process. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(6), 1043–1062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2012.10.005

Heck, I. (2024). From participatory research to the co-construction of actions: Reflections on how to reinforce action research for social inclusion. International Journal of Action Research, 20(1), 50–68.

Imran, A. (2023). Why addressing digital inequality should be a priority. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 89(3), e12255. https://doi.org/10.1002/isd2.12255

Johansson, C., Miller, V. D., & Hamrin, S. (2014). Conceptualizing communicative leadership: A framework for analysing and developing leaders' communication competence. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 19(2), 147–165. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-02-2013-0007

Joshua, C. (2025). The role of institutional culture in shaping quality assurance in higher education. In Quality assurance practices for transformative higher education in Southern Africa (pp. xx–xx). (Lengkapi editor dan penerbit dari buku sumber).

Jussupow, E., Spohrer, K., & Heinzl, A. (2022). Identity threats as a reason for resistance to artificial intelligence: Survey study with medical students and professionals. JMIR Formative Research, 6(3), e28750. https://doi.org/10.2196/28750

Kent, M. L., & Taylor, M. (2002). Toward a dialogic theory of public relations. Public Relations Review, 28(1), 21–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0363-8111(02)00108-X

Kfukfu, F. M., Kitur, J., & Nyagah, E. (2024). Relationship between leadership transparency behaviors and effective communication: A case of the Presbyterian University of East Africa. ShahidiHub International Journal of Education, Humanities & Social Science, 2(1), 83–98.

Kosmala, K., Marszalek, A., & Rudawska, E. (2024). Communication in project team management: Identification of research gaps and direction for future research. European Research Studies Journal, 27(Special Issue), 732–751.

LaCroix, E. (2022). Organizational complexities of experiential education: Institutionalization and logic work in higher education. Journal of Experiential Education, 45(2), 157–171. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538259211068924

Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (1995). An integrative model of organizational trust. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709–734. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1995.9508080335

McKnight, D. H., Carter, M., Thatcher, J. B., & Clay, P. F. (2011). Trust in a specific technology: An investigation of its components and measures. ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems, 2(2), Article 12. https://doi.org/10.1145/1985347.1985353

Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. (2020). Buku panduan Merdeka Belajar–Kampus Merdeka. Directorate General of Higher Education.

Omol, E. J. (2024). Organizational digital transformation: From evolution to future trends. Digital Transformation and Society, 3(3), 240–256.

Oreg, S., Vakola, M., & Armenakis, A. (2011). Change recipients' reactions to organizational change: A 60-year review of quantitative studies. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 47(4), 461–524. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886310396550

Piderit, S. K. (2000). Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: A multidimensional view of attitudes toward an organizational change. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 783–794. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2000.3707722

Pilonato, S., & Monfardini, P. (2022). Managerial reforms, institutional complexity and individuals: An empirical analysis of higher education. Journal of Management and Governance, 26(2), 365–387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10997-021-09573-7

Roy, S., Lartey, S. T., Durneva, P., Jha, N., Ofori, M. A., Zeba, Z., & Joshi, A. (2025). Digital health technology infrastructure challenges to support health equity in the United States: Scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, e70856. https://doi.org/10.2196/70856

Thomas, A. (2024). Digitally transforming the organization through knowledge management: A socio-technical system perspective. European Journal of Innovation Management. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-03-2024-0205

Verhoef, P. C., Broekhuizen, T., Bart, Y., Bhattacharya, A., Dong, J. Q., Fabian, N., & Haenlein, M. (2021). Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 122, 889–901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.022

Vial, G. (2019). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28(2), 118–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2019.01.003

Weick, K. E., Sutcliffe, K. M., & Obstfeld, D. (2005). Organizing and the process of sense-making. Organization Science, 16(4), 409–421. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1050.0133