Digital Transformation, Human Capital Development and Organisational Capabilities in an Emerging Market Telecommunication Industry

Authors

  • Frank Boateng University of Mines and Technology Author
  • John Armstrong Asabil Etroo Sametro Company Limited Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63029/0w2yvw23

Keywords:

Digital Transformation, Human Capital Development, Business Model Innovation, Telecommunication industry

Abstract

Digital transformation (DT) has emerged as a transformative force reshaping organisational structures, operational models, and workforce capabilities across industries. The academic literature has failed to examine how DT influences human capital development in the telecommunications sector of emerging economies. Drawing on contingency theory, the resource-based view (RBV), and organisational learning theory, this study investigates the effect of digital transformation on human capital development and examines the moderating roles of customer experience, operational processes, and business model innovation (BMI) in the Ghanaian telecommunications industry. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional design, with data collected from 290 employees across three major telecommunications firms via structured questionnaires. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling (CB-SEM) via AMOS were used for analysis.   

Author Biography

  • John Armstrong Asabil Etroo, Sametro Company Limited

    John Armstrong Asabil Etroo is a seasoned business leader and academic with over 14 years of senior‐level experience across banking, telecommunications, real estate, logistics, and broadcasting. He currently serves as General Manager of Sametro Company Limited and SCL Sametro Guinea Bissau Sarl, where he drives strategic direction, financial management, operational excellence, and policy implementation. He combines extensive industry expertise with a strong academic foundation in finance, digital transformation, and corporate governance. He is an Adjunct Faculty member at Nobel International Business School, where he teaches Leadership for Digital Transformation. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of CapeCoast, an MBA in International Finance Controlling, and a Doctorate in Business Administration. He is currently pursuing an MSc in Digital Transformation at the University of Hull and has completed a specialised digital strategy program at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.

References

Ahmed, W. (2025). Transforming B2B customer experience through digital transformation and social media in the Sudanese ICT sector. Management and Business Studies, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.58777/mbs.v3i1.535 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58777/mbs.v3i1.535

Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (1997). Organisational learning: A theory of action perspective. Reis. https://doi.org/10.2307/40183951 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/40183951

Baiyere, A., Salmela, H., & Tapanainen, T. (2020). Digital transformation and the new logics of business process management. European Journal of Information Systems. https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2020.1718007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2020.1718007

Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108

Basten, D., & Haamann, T. (2018). Approaches for organisational learning: A literature review. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018794224 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018794224

Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. Columbia University Press.

Bhati, B. (2025). Influence of digital transformation on business processes and customer engagement. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology, 13. https://doi.org/10.22214/ijraset.2025.66796 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22214/ijraset.2025.66796

Bouwmans, M., Orlowski, M., Nguyen, T.-V., & Lub, X. (2024). Developing the digital transformation skills framework: A systematic literature review approach. PLOS ONE, 19(7), e0304127. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304127 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304127

Chatzopoulos, C. G., & Weber, M. (2021). Digitisation and lean customer experience management: Success factors and conditions, pitfalls and failures. International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management. https://doi.org/10.24867/IJIEM-2021-2-278 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24867/IJIEM-2021-2-278

Creswell, J. (2013). Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Dörner, O., & Rundel, S. (2021). Organisational learning and digital transformation: A theoretical framework. In Digital Transformation of Learning Organisations. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55878-9_4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55878-9_4

European Commission. (2020). Shaping the digital transformation in Europe. https://doi.org/10.2759/294260

Fareed, M., Ahmad, A., Salleh, S. S. M. M., & Saoula, O. (2020). What makes HR professionals effective? Qualitative evidence from telecom sector of a developing country. Revista Argentina de Clínica Psicológica, 29(5), 200. https://doi.org/10.24205/03276716.2020.1021

Horváthová, P., & Davidová, M. (2011). Operations management as practice of organizations' strategic management in relation to the environment. International Conference on Financial Management and Economics, 11.

Guo, L., & Xu, L. (2021). The effects of digital transformation on firm performance: Evidence from China's manufacturing sector. Sustainability, 13(22), 12844. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212844 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212844

Grüner, S. L. (2024). Uncertainty decomposed: Understanding levels of contingency to enable effective decision-making. Strategic Management, 24(3), 5–20. https://doi.org/10.5937/straman2400003g DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/StraMan2400003G

Hoque, M. T., Tzokas, N., Arslan, A., Gupta, D. R., & Ahammad, M. (2026). Knowledge management, operational resilience and export performance: Moderating roles of strategic flexibility and maturity of digital transformation in emerging markets. International Marketing Review. https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-10-2024-0389 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-10-2024-0389

Ismail, R. (2026). Measuring the impact of digital talent management on human capital development in Egyptian telecommunication companies. Arab Business Journal, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.64190/abj.1.1.2026.7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.64190/abj.1.1.2026.7

Javed, A., Ashraf, J., & Yong, L. (2025). Synergistic effects of digital capability and human capital development on the twin green and digital transition. Journal of Environmental Management, 375, 128313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128313 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128313

Judijanto, L. (2025). The effect of digital transformation, operational strategy, and customer satisfaction on online retail business performance in Jakarta. West Sciences Business and Management, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.58812/wsbm.v3i01.1808 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58812/wsbm.v3i01.1808

Kotarba, M. (2018). Digital transformation of business models. Foundations of Management, 10(1), 123–142. https://doi.org/10.2478/fman-2018-0011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fman-2018-0011

Latifi, M. A., Nikou, S., & Bouwman, H. (2021). Business model innovation and firm performance: Exploring causal mechanisms in SMEs. Technovation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102274 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102274

Li, F. (2020). Leading digital transformation: Three emerging approaches for managing the transition. International Journal of Operations and Production Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-04-2020-0202 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-04-2020-0202

Masoud, R., & Basahel, S. B. (2023). The effects of digital transformation on firm performance: The role of customer experience and IT innovation. Digital, 3(2), 107–124. https://doi.org/10.3390/digital3020008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/digital3020008

Mergel, I., Edelmann, N., & Haug, N. (2019). Defining digital transformation: Results from expert interviews. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.06.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.06.002

Mollah, M. A., Bin Amin, M., Mia, M. J., Shakil, R. M., & Rahaman, M. A. (2025). Digital leadership and organisational performance in the post-COVID-19: Mediating roles of human capital development and technological innovation. Journal of Research in Administrative and Corporate Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.54560/jracr.v15i1.569 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54560/jracr.v15i1.569

Myovella, G., Karacuka, M., & Haucap, J. (2020). Digitalisation and economic growth: A comparative analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa and OECD economies. Telecommunications Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2019.101856 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2019.101856

Protasenko, O., Jafarli, H., Ivashura, A., & Yermolenko, O. (2025). Lifelong learning in the digital era: How the approach to human capital development is changing. Development Economics, 24(3). https://doi.org/10.63341/devt/3.2025.34 DOI: https://doi.org/10.63341/devt/3.2025.34

Qureshi, S. (2023). Digital transformation for development: A human capital key or system of oppression? Information Technology for Development, 29(4). https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2023.2282269 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2023.2282269

Rahman, S. A., & Ramzani, S. R. (2025). Exploring the impact of digital transformation on organizational performance: The moderating role of employee engagement in telecommunications firms in Ghana. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2025.10.4.2365 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2025.10.4.2365

Raposo, M. L., Gouveia-Rodrigues, R., Barba-Sánchez, V., & Meseguer-Martínez, Á. (2024). Effects of digital transformation on firm performance: The role of IT capabilities and digital orientation. Heliyon, 10(6), e27725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27725 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27725

Reis, J., Amorim, M., Melão, N., & Matos, P. (2018). Digital transformation: A literature review and guidelines for future research. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 745, 411–421. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77703-0_41 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77703-0_41

Saini, M., Singh, D., Kataria, A., & Singh, R. (2025). Digital transformation and environmental sustainability: Reviewing the role of human capital. Journal of Organisational Change Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-03-2025-0289 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-03-2025-0289

Schallmo, D. R. A., & Williams, C. A. (2018). History of digital transformation. In Digital Transformation Now! (pp. 3–8). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72844-5_2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72844-5_2

Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in human capital. American Economic Review, 51(1), 1–17.

Schwager, A., & Meyer, C. (2007). Understanding customer experience. Harvard Business Review, 85(2), 116–126.

Trenerry, B., Lu, H. Y., Oh, P. H., Lim, S. S., Chng, S., Wang, Y., & Suhaila, Z. S. (2021). Preparing workplaces for digital transformation: An integrative review and framework of multi-level factors. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 620766. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620766 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620766

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

Van Veldhoven, Z., & Vanthienen, J. (2020). Digital transformation as an interaction-driven perspective between business, society, and technology. Electronic Markets. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-021-00464-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-021-00464-5

Waskito, M., & Mutafiq, A. (2026). Exploring the influence of digital transformation on human capital development: Evidence from small and medium enterprises in Indonesia. International Journal of Business Administration, 5(6). https://doi.org/10.55927/ijba.v5i6.15908 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijba.v5i6.15908

Yang, M., Fu, M., & Zhang, Z. (2021). The adoption of digital technologies in supply chains: Drivers, process and impact. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120795 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120795

Zheng, Y. (2024). Research on the impact of business model innovation on firm performance under the background of digital transformation. International Business Education Studies, 6(4), 149–158. https://doi.org/10.22158/ibes.v6n4p149 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22158/ibes.v6n4p149

Ziyadin, S., Suieubayeva, S., & Utegenova, A. (2020). Digital transformation in business. In Digital Age: Chances, Challenges and Future (pp. 408–415). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27015-5_49 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27015-5_49

Downloads

Published

2026-05-16

How to Cite

Boateng, F., & Etroo, J. A. A. (2026). Digital Transformation, Human Capital Development and Organisational Capabilities in an Emerging Market Telecommunication Industry. Management Research Quarterly, 3(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.63029/0w2yvw23

Similar Articles

21-30 of 46

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.