Digital Leadership as The Ideal Leadership Style for Generation Z: A Theoretical Analysis

Umma Nusrat Urme, Priyanka Karim and Tasnimul Arefin
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Umma Nusrat Urme: Assistant Professor, Southeast Business School, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Priyanka Karim: HR Manager, BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Tasnimul Arefin: Assistant Professor, Department of Fashion Design & Technology, Uttara University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Journal of Scientific Reports, 2026, vol. 12, issue 1, 93-104

Abstract: The impending dominance of Generation Z in the global workforce necessitates a paradigm shift in organizational leadership, moving beyond traditional models to those capable of engaging a generation defined by its digital nativity and distinct values. This study introduces a novel theoretical argument, positioning digital leadership as the optimal framework for this engagement. Through a systematic analysis of contemporary literature, we identify and synthesize twenty-three defining traits of digital leadership. These traits are then rigorously cross-compared with the well-documented characteristics and workplace expectations of Generation Z. Our analysis reveals a profound and extensive alignment, suggesting that the core principles of digital leadership such as its inherent agility, its foundation in digital fluency, and its emphasis on collaborative empowerment directly resonate with Generation Z's demands for authenticity, flexibility, and purposeful work. This research provides a foundational theoretical model that reframes digital leadership from a mere technological competency to a strategic imperative for talent retention, offering critical, evidence-based insights for both academic discourse and organizational practice in the evolving digital economy.

Keywords: Digital leadership; Generation Z; leadership theories; transformational leadership; workplace values; talent retention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aif:report:v:11:y:2026:i:1:p:93-104

DOI: 10.58970/JSR.1157

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