Conceptual Framework on Digital Leadership, Knowledge Sharing, and Emotional Intelligence in Cambodian Schools

Authors

  • Saya Zhaparova Paragon International University Author
  • Devita Wahyu Utami Beltei International University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21467/proceedings.8.1.6

Keywords:

Digital Leadership, Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

This conceptual paper examines the interplay between Digital Leadership, Knowledge Sharing, and Emotional Intelligence, with Cultural Sensitivity and Capacity Building as contextual enablers, in the context of Cambodian secondary schools undergoing digital transformation. Drawing on recent literature from 2018–2025, the paper proposes a framework where Digital Leadership and Emotional Intelligence independently foster Knowledge Sharing, while Emotional Intelligence also moderates the Digital Leadership–Knowledge Sharing relationship by enhancing trust, motivation, and openness. Cultural Sensitivity and Capacity Building are positioned as cross-cutting factors that strengthen these relationships by addressing cultural norms, infrastructural disparities, and professional development needs. The framework responds to Cambodia’s leadership gap in digital readiness by emphasizing both technology-oriented and human-centric leadership capabilities. The proposed model contributes to theory by integrating socio-emotional and contextual dimensions into digital leadership research and offers practical guidance for school leaders and policy-makers seeking to cultivate collaborative, innovative educational environments. This conceptualisation invites future empirical studies to validate the relationships and mechanisms proposed.

References

AlAjmi, M. K. (2022). The impact of digital leadership on teachers’ technology integration during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait. International Journal of Educational Research, 112, 101928.

Aldighrir, W. M. (2024). The role of digital leadership in understanding cultural diversity within an organization. Journal of Umm Al-Qura University for Educational and Psychological Sciences, 16(3), 546–552.

Al-Husseini, S., El Beltagi, I., & Moizer, J. (2021). Transformational leadership and innovation: The mediating role of knowledge sharing amongst higher education faculty. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 24(5), 670–693.

Al-Kurdi, O. F., El-Haddadeh, R., & Eldabi, T. (2018). Knowledge sharing in higher education institutions: A systematic review. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 31(2), 226–246.

Ansari, A. H., & Malik, S. (2022). Ability-based emotional intelligence and knowledge sharing: The moderating role of trust in co-workers. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, 52(5), 681–699.

Antonopoulou et al. (2024) – Principals’ Digital Leadership Competencies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (MDPI).

Bo, C. (2021). New Generation Schools in Cambodia: Innovative school governance for sustainable quality of 21st Century learning and instruction. In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Research of Educational Administration and Management (ICREAM 2020), Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (Vol. 526, pp. 510–513). Atlantis Press.

Chaudhary, A. A., Ali, N. Z., Maqsood, N., Nasarullah, A., & Calimlim, R. Jr. (2024). The influence of emotional intelligence in educational leadership and school climate. Journal of Education and Social Studies, 5(2), 453–461.

Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

Gómez-Leal, R., Holzer, A. A., Bradley, C., Fernández-Berrocal, P., & Patti, J. (2022). The relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership in school leaders: A systematic review. Cambridge Journal of Education.

Harerimana, A., & Mtshali, N. G. (2020). Integration of digital technologies in education: Facilitating access to open educational resources. International Journal of Education and Development Using ICT, 16(2), 145–160.

Malik, S. (2021). The nexus between emotional intelligence and types of knowledge sharing: Does work experience matter? Journal of Workplace Learning, 33(8), 619–634.

Munawar, S., Yousaf, H. Q., Ahmed, M., & Rehman, S. (2024). The impact of emotional intelligence, servant leadership, and psychological safety on employees’ innovative behavior with the moderating effect of task interdependence in Lahore, Pakistan. Current Psychology, 43, 8186–8199

Lyu, J. (2024). How does digital leadership improve organizational sustainability? Theory and evidence. Journal of Cleaner Production, 400, Article 140148.

Pu, R., Dong, R. K., & Jiang, S. (2025). Toward the education for sustainable development (ESD): Digital leadership and knowledge-sharing behavior on higher education institutional change. Education and Information Technologies, 30, 10567–10589. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-13247-0

Sok, R. S. K., Tieng, M., Yoeng, H., Chiv, S., Thay, S., & Saorann, S. (2025). Examining principal leadership in Cambodian high schools: A case study approach. European Journal of Educational Management, 8(1), 13–29. https://doi.org/10.12973/eujem.8.1.13

Thannimalai, R., & Raman, A. (2018). The influence of principals’ technology leadership and professional development on teachers’ technology integration in secondary schools. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 15(1), 203–228.

Shariq, S., Mukhtar, U., & Anwar, S. (2019). Mediating and moderating impact of goal orientation and emotional intelligence on knowledge sharing and innovation

frontiersin.org. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(8), 1605–1624. (As cited in Frontiers in Psychology, 2024)

Stoll, L., Bolam, R., McMahon, A., Wallace, M., & Thomas, S. (2006). Professional learning communities: A review of the literature. Journal of Educational Change, 7, 221–258.

Downloads

Published

2026-01-20

How to Cite

[1]
S. Zhaparova and D. W. Utami, “Conceptual Framework on Digital Leadership, Knowledge Sharing, and Emotional Intelligence in Cambodian Schools”, AIJR Proc., vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 37–43, Jan. 2026, doi: 10.21467/proceedings.8.1.6.