Global leadership competencies and digital skills driving strategic partnerships in Jordanian pharmaceutical companies

Global leadership competencies are critical for creating strategic alliances in a fast-changing digital world, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. However, little is known to date concerning the extent to which digital skills mediate this relationship. The study aims at exploring the mediating role of digital capabilities between global leadership skills and strategic partnerships within Jordan pharmaceutical firms and provides information that would enhance cooperation in the given setting. The research was conducted by a descriptive analytical methodology, which included a survey of 232 employees who work in 12 pharmaceutical companies in Jordan. The data gathered were evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM) with a partial least squares (PLS) approach which was undertaken using smartPLS-4 software. Findings show that the global leadership competencies have a direct impact on the digital skills and strategic partnerships. The digital skills serve as a semi-mediator regarding the leadership competencies and other modalities of strategic partnerships, such as communication and collaboration, and the overall effectiveness of partnerships. In the research, digital skills are discussed as a critical area that needs to be developed alongside leadership skills, as a way of enhancing strategic alliances in the pharmaceutical sector. As a result, the study provides practical suggestions that organizations in their quest to leverage digital potentials to improve collaboration and competitiveness can adopt.