DIGITAL LEADERSHIP CULTURE IN VIETNAMESE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES: A QUALITATIVE STUDY BASED ON CORPORATE REPORTS AND STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS

Abstract

In the context of the Vietnamese Government’s acceleration of the National Digital Transformation Strategy for the 2025–2030 period, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) play a pivotal role in promoting governance innovation and shaping digital culture. However, research on digital leadership culture—reflecting leadership mindsets, behaviors, and values in the transformation process—remains relatively limited. This study adopts a qualitative approach to identify the characteristics of digital leadership culture in Vietnamese SOEs through content analysis of recent corporate reports and digital transformation strategies. Data were collected from Viettel Group, Vietnam Electricity, and Petrovietnam, along with official documents issued by state management agencies in the fields of information and communications as well as science and technology. The findings indicate that these three SOEs demonstrate approximately 8–9 out of 13 components of digital leadership culture identified in the international theoretical framework. The study contributes to enriching the theoretical foundation of digital leadership culture in the public sector and provides policy implications for developing more adaptive and innovative leadership models in Vietnam’s national digital transformation process.