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Article

Towards Sustainable Organizations: The Interplay of Digital Transformation, Leadership, and Organizational Culture: Evidence from Greek Firms

by
Konstantinos Georgios Kanakoglou
* and
Dimitrios Kafetzopoulos
Department in Business Administration, University of Macedonia, Egnatia Street, 156, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Systems 2026, 14(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14010035 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 11 November 2025 / Revised: 21 December 2025 / Accepted: 26 December 2025 / Published: 27 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Era of Industry 4.0)

Abstract

This study attempts to examine the interconnections between digital transformation, leadership, organizational culture, and organizational sustainability among Greek enterprises in the Industry 4.0 context. A quantitative research design was utilized to attain this objective, employing survey data gathered from 412 managerial-level participants across several industries. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were performed to validate the measurement model, followed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the proposed correlations among the constructs. The findings reveal that digital transformation, leadership, and organizational culture each have a substantial positive influence on organizational sustainability, with digital transformation exhibiting the most pronounced benefit. Furthermore, their alignment has a synergistic effect that amplifies the economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainability. These findings validate the multifaceted character of sustainability within the Industry 4.0 framework and underscore the interrelation of technological, human, and cultural competencies. The research contributes to the field of theory by offering a comprehensive framework for sustainable organizational transformation and practical implications for managers and policymakers who are in the process of developing strategies that are oriented towards sustainability, innovation, and resilience in digitally evolving environments.
Keywords: digital transformation; leadership; organizational culture; organizational sustainability; Industry 4.0 digital transformation; leadership; organizational culture; organizational sustainability; Industry 4.0

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kanakoglou, K.G.; Kafetzopoulos, D. Towards Sustainable Organizations: The Interplay of Digital Transformation, Leadership, and Organizational Culture: Evidence from Greek Firms. Systems 2026, 14, 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14010035

AMA Style

Kanakoglou KG, Kafetzopoulos D. Towards Sustainable Organizations: The Interplay of Digital Transformation, Leadership, and Organizational Culture: Evidence from Greek Firms. Systems. 2026; 14(1):35. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14010035

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kanakoglou, Konstantinos Georgios, and Dimitrios Kafetzopoulos. 2026. "Towards Sustainable Organizations: The Interplay of Digital Transformation, Leadership, and Organizational Culture: Evidence from Greek Firms" Systems 14, no. 1: 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14010035

APA Style

Kanakoglou, K. G., & Kafetzopoulos, D. (2026). Towards Sustainable Organizations: The Interplay of Digital Transformation, Leadership, and Organizational Culture: Evidence from Greek Firms. Systems, 14(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14010035

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