A DIGITAL LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK FOR TALENT RETENTION IN EMERGING ASIAN ECONOMIES

Abstract

The acceleration of digital transformation across emerging Asian economies has intensified organizational challenges related to attracting and retaining skilled talent. While technological investments continue to expand, many organizations struggle to retain employees due to leadership capability gaps in managing digitally mediated work environments. Existing talent management research has largely emphasized structural and human resource practices, offering limited insight into the role of leadership in fostering employee retention within digital contexts. Addressing this gap, this concept paper proposes a digital leadership framework for talent retention tailored to emerging Asian economies. Drawing on leadership theory, digital transformation literature, and talent management research, the paper develops an integrative framework that positions digital leadership as a strategic driver of talent retention, with employee digital readiness serving as a key mediating mechanism. The framework further recognizes the importance of contextual influences by incorporating a comparative perspective across Malaysia, Indonesia, and China, reflecting variations in institutional development, cultural values, and digital maturity. The proposed framework advances theory by extending leadership and talent retention models into the digital domain while offering a context-sensitive approach grounded in emerging Asian economies. Practically, it provides organizational leaders and policymakers with a structured guide for developing digital leadership capabilities that enhance employee adaptability, engagement, and long-term retention. The paper concludes by outlining directions for future empirical validation using structural equation modeling and cross-national comparative analysis.