E-leadership with digital communication

01.09.2021 - 31.08.2026

Research group

The project investigates e-leading with digital communication focusing on top managers in the IT industry. E-leadership strategies, practices, and digital communication competences are explored in two culturally diverse settings: in Finland and Japan. The project leader is Associate Professor Jonna Koponen from the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). In Japan, we collaborate with J.F. Oberlin University, and in particular with Vice-President, Professor Kiyoshi Hori and Professor Akiko Asai. In the United States, we collaborate with San Diego State University, and in particular with Professor Brian Spitzberg. In Finland, we collaborate with Professor Saara Julkunen (UEF), Professor Pekka Isotalus (Tampere University), Senior Researcher Sanna Herkama (University of Turku), Adjunct Professor Anne Laajalahti (University of Vaasa), Senior lecturer Esa Hiltunen (UEF) and Junior researcher Lotta Salin (UEF).

Funder(s)

Main funder

Academy of Finland

The project investigates e-leading with digital communication focusing on top managers in the IT industry. First, e-leadership strategies,
practices, and digital communication competences are explored in two culturally diverse settings: in Finland and Japan. Research data
are collected via expert interviews, focus group interviews, and participant observation in large IT companies in both countries. Second,
by triangulating the country-specific qualitative datasets, the project can build a more culture-general theoretical foundation of the eleaders’ digital communication competence (DICO), produce a conceptualisation of it, and further operationalise the construct. Third, in
the quantitative phase of the research project, the aim is to test a measure of e-leaders’ DICO with empirical data from an international
IT company. Furthermore, whether e-leaders’ DICO has a positive impact on employee motivation, satisfaction, commitment, and
performance in the IT company is investigated.

Keywords

change communication communication competence communication strategy digital communication e-leadership intercultural communication leadership virtual group