Digital Leadership in an Ever-Changing World: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends and Challenges

Abstract

Digital leadership is vital for companies in a constantly evolving technological environment, where the adaptability of leaders is essential to face changes. To better understand this topic, a bibliometric study was conducted that examined publications on digital leadership from 2018 to July 2023. Scopus was used, complemented by tools such as RStudio, VOSviewer, and Microsoft Excel. The findings show that the field has undergone changes lately due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A movement toward digital transformation and technology leadership was observed. The most influential journals, prominent authors and geographical distribution of publications were identified. The United States, Germany and China all stood out in terms of the number of publications and citations. In addition, nine groups of industry sectors related to digital leadership were identified. The pandemic has led to increased interest in online learning and decision making in crisis situations. The results offer an updated view on digital leadership and highlight its relevance in organizations. In addition, qualitative studies are suggested in areas such as blockchain technology, climate change, digital skills, industry 4.0, municipal administration, and virtual skills. In summary, this study contributes to the advancement and understanding of digital leadership in various contexts.