Digital transformation, organizational agility, and firm performance in emerging markets: Evidence from Vietnam’s machinery sector

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Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Firms in emerging markets are increasingly compelled to implement digital transformation strategies in response to rapid technological disruption and intensifying global competition. However, the impact of such transformation on organizational performance remains underexplored, particularly in resource-constrained contexts. This study aims to assess how digital orientation and digital capacity influence the implementation of digital transformation, and how digital transformation, in turn, affects organizational agility as well as financial and non-financial performance. Data were collected through a survey of senior managers – those directly responsible for leading digital transformation strategies – at 518 mechanical engineering enterprises in Vietnam, conducted between August and November 2024. The research model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that digital orientation (β = 0.585, p < 0.001) and digital capacity (β = 0.240, p < 0.001) significantly promote the adoption of digital transformation. Subsequently, digital transformation exerts a strong positive influence on organizational agility (β = 0.815, p < 0.001). In turn, organizational agility significantly enhances financial performance (β = 0.795, R² = 0.632) and non-financial performance (β = 0.536, R² = 0.287). These findings provide empirical evidence that digital transformation efforts can create practical value when they are grounded in well-aligned internal capabilities. The study contributes to clarifying how enterprises in emerging economies can align digital investments with organizational strengths to improve performance amid volatile environments.

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    • Figure 1. Proposed research model
    • Figure 2. Analysis results of the theoretical model using PLS-SEM
    • Table 1. Structure of research sample
    • Table 2. Construct reliability and validity
    • Table 3. Fornell-Larcker criterion
    • Table 4. Heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT)
    • Table 5. Hypothesis testing results
    • Conceptualization
      Nguyen Khanh Cuong, Nguyen Ngoc-Long, Ho Tien Dung
    • Data curation
      Nguyen Khanh Cuong
    • Formal Analysis
      Nguyen Khanh Cuong
    • Funding acquisition
      Nguyen Khanh Cuong
    • Investigation
      Nguyen Khanh Cuong
    • Resources
      Nguyen Khanh Cuong, Ho Tien Dung, Than Van Hai
    • Writing – original draft
      Nguyen Khanh Cuong
    • Writing – review & editing
      Nguyen Ngoc-Long, Ho Tien Dung, Than Van Hai
    • Methodology
      Nguyen Ngoc-Long, Than Van Hai
    • Supervision
      Ho Tien Dung
    • Visualization
      Ho Tien Dung
    • Software
      Than Van Hai
    • Validation
      Than Van Hai