Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of adaptive leadership behaviors on digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya. The study addressed seven research questions: What is the influence of getting on the balcony behavior on digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya? To what extent does identifying adaptive challenges behavior influence digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya? What is the influence of regulating distress behavior on digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya? What is the role of maintaining disciplined attention behavior in digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya? To what extent does giving the work back to the people behavior influence digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya? What is the influence of protecting leadership voice behavior on digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya? Finally, to what extent does organizational culture moderate the relationship between adaptive leadership and digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya?
The study applied the adaptive leadership theory and adopted a post-positivist research philosophy. A descriptive correlational research design was employed to investigate a target population of 392 supervisors from 56 insurance firms listed by the IRA in October 2021. A sample of 198 was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, such as means and standard deviation, and inferential statistics, such as Spearman's coefficient correlation analysis, chi-squared test, one-way ANOVA, and ordinal logistic regression analysis (OLR), were used to analyze the data.
For the first research question, OLR analysis showed that getting on the balcony behavior explained 37.2% (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance in digital transformation and significantly predicted digital transformation, β1 = -4.100, p ≤ .05. Thus, the null hypothesis that this behavior has no significant influence on digital transformation was rejected. Regarding second research question, OLR results revealed that identifying adaptive challenges behavior explained 59.7% (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance in digital transformation and significantly predicted digital transformation, β2 = -4.787, p ≤ .05. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. In relation to third research question, OLR analysis showed that regulating distress behavior explained 20.3% (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance in digital transformation. The parameter estimates indicated that this behavior predicted digital transformation, β3 = - 19.280, p ≤ .05. Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected. For the fourth research question, OLR analysis showed that maintaining disciplined attention behavior explained 38.8% (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance in digital transformation. The parameter estimates indicated that this behavior predicted digital transformation, β4 = -2.459, p ≤ .05. Thus, the null hypothesis that this behavior has no significant influence on digital transformation was rejected.
With respect to the fifth research question, OLR analysis showed that giving the work back to the people behavior explained 23.2% (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance in digital transformation and significantly predicted digital transformation, β5 = -19.743, p ≤ .05. Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected. Examining the sixth research question, OLR analysis showed that protecting leadership voices from below behavior explained 56.4% (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance in digital transformation. The parameter estimates indicated that this behavior predicted digital transformation, β6 = -18.647, p ≤ .05. Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected. With respect to the seventh research question, OLR analysis revealed that the moderating effect of organizational culture explained 37.6% (Nagelkerke R²) of the variance in digital transformation. The parameter estimates indicated that organizational culture moderated the relationship between adaptive leadership and digital transformation, β = - 2.455, p < .05. Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected.
The study concluded that all six adaptive leadership behaviors had a significant influence on digital transformation of insurance firms in Kenya. Organizational culture moderated the relationship between adaptive leadership behaviors and digital transformation. Therefore, insurance leaders should adopt adaptive leadership behaviors and consider the moderating effects of organizational culture to improve digital transformation in their firms.
The study recommends that insurance leaders should develop leadership programs, work structures and implement policies that promote adaptive leadership behaviors. The study recommends that further research on adaptive leadership and digital transformation in the wider financial services industry should be conducted in developing countries. The study also recommends that adaptive leadership framework should be applied in other settings to compare and contrast outcomes.