Journal of ASEAN PLUS Studies

A Critical Review of Digital Leadership Research

Hongmei Gong — 2026-06-01

As an emerging field of research, the concept of digital leadership remains relatively ambiguous. A review of the relevant literature reveals that both domestic and international scholars primarily draw on theories from management and social psychology—particularly leadership theory, organizational change theory, and complex adaptive systems theory—as the theoretical foundation for exploring digital leadership. Current research has mainly focused on defining the conceptual connotation of digital leadership and constructing theoretical models, while systematic investigations into its structural dimensions and the development of reliable measurement instruments remain limited.

Against the backdrop of the digital economy, enterprise performance evaluation is becoming increasingly multidimensional. With the deepening of digital transformation, organizations are placing greater reliance on high-performing employees to maintain a competitive advantage. Given that diﬀerent leadership styles exert varying eﬀects on employee innovation and performance, digital leadership—characterized by vision articulation, technological proficiency, and transformation facilitation—has emerged as a pivotal leadership style for navigating change and enhancing performance in the digital era.

Therefore, it is of both theoretical and practical significance to examine the mechanisms through which digital leadership inﬂuences employee work performance. This paper provides a comprehensive review of existing research on digital leadership and outlines potential directions for future inquiry.

Fiscal Rebalancing and Peacebuilding: Budget Allocation Strategies in Thailand’s Southern Border Provinces

Waroonporn Suwanthanin — 2026-06-01

This study examines government budget allocation strategies for sustainable peacebuilding in Thailand’s Southern Border Provinces. Employing a qualitative policy analysis based on secondary data—including government budget reports and conflict incident data from Deep South Watch (2004-2022)— the study integrates the analytical frameworks of Fiscal Policy for Development, Fiscal Federalism, and Positive Peace to assess the effectiveness of fiscal interventions in conflict-affected areas.

The findings indicate that, despite cumulative public expenditure exceeding 400 billion baht, budget allocation has remained predominantly concentrated on security operations, limiting its effectiveness in addressing the structural drivers of conflict. However, a significant shift since 2017 toward integrated and area-based budgeting—emphasizing cross-sectoral coordination and local participation—has been associated with a marked decline in violent incidents. This suggests that development-oriented and context-sensitive fiscal strategies are more effective in reducing conflict intensity.

The study further demonstrates that sustainable peacebuilding requires a rebalancing of fiscal priorities from security-centered expenditure toward investments in economic opportunities, social services, and inclusive development. In this regard, the concept of “Peace Budgeting” is proposed as a strategic framework for transforming public finance into a mechanism for reducing structural inequalities, strengthening state–society trust, and promoting long-term stability.

Comparative insights from the Mindanao case in the Philippines reinforce the importance of aligning fiscal decentralization, participatory governance, and structured peace processes. The study concludes that effective peacebuilding depends not on the scale of public spending, but on its structure, allocation logic, and inclusiveness. Accordingly, the transition toward Peace Budgeting represents a critical paradigm shift for achieving sustainable and inclusive peace in multicultural and conflict-affected societies, positioning fiscal policy as a central mechanism linking development and peacebuilding in such contexts.

Linking Green HRM to Employee Green Behaviors with Green Work Engagement: An Empirical Study of Higher Education

Fei Lu — 2026-06-01

This study investigates the influence of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices on employees’ environmentally responsible behaviors within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in China, with a particular focus on the mediation effect of Green Work Engagement (GWE). Although GHRM has been extensively examined in many industries, including manufacturing and service, its application in academic contexts remains inadequate, especially in China. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, the Job Demands-Resources Model, and the Broaden-and-Build Theory, this study develops an integrated framework to examine how GHRM affects both in-role and extra-role green workplace behaviors through GWE. The empirical analysis is based on survey data collected from 400 academic and administrative employees at four universities in Shenyang, a major educational and industrial hub in northeastern China with a history of environmental challenges. The sampling location was particularly suitable due to government-driven sustainability initiatives and the region’s concentration of higher education institutions. Standardized and validated scales were employed to measure GHRM, GWE, and green work behaviors, with data analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results show that GHRM has a significant positive impact on both in-role (β = 0.16) and extra-role (β = 0.18) green behaviors, indicating that employees are more likely to perform not only their formally required environmental tasks but also voluntary, discretionary eco-friendly actions. The results also show that GWE has a significant positive impact on both in-role (β = 0.21) and extra-role (β = 0.19) green behaviors, indicating that employees respond to organizational support for sustainability by displaying greater engagement and environmentally responsible conduct. The research contributes to the limited body of research on sustainability in higher education, recommending that HEIs implement GHRM within institutional policies and foster employee engagement to enhance long-term ecological performance.

Psychological Antecedents of Trust in Work-based Education in Bangkok

Tanaporn Phurinan — 2026-06-01

Trust is a critical determinant of successful collaboration and performance in multicultural Work-based Education (WBE) programs, yet limited research has examined its psychological antecedents in cross-cultural internship contexts. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this study investigates how emotional intelligence (EQ), proactive personality, resilience, growth mindset, and empathy influence trust formation among interns in multicultural workplace environments. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 429 university students enrolled in WBE programs in Thailand, all of whom had completed at least three months of internship experience. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine direct effects and the influence of control variables, including gender, age, academic year, GPAX, internship duration, and internship days per week. EQ (β = 0.215, p < 0.001), Growth mindset (β = 0.216, p < 0.001), and Empathy (β = 0.339, p < 0.001) showed significant positive relationships with trust, supporting H1, H4, and H5. Proactive personality (β = 0.073, p = 0.064) and resilience (β = 0.056, p = 0.121) were not significant predictors, leading to the rejection of H2 and H3. Among control variables, only gender exhibited a small but significant effect on trust (β = -0.079, p = 0.049). The findings underscore the pivotal role of interpersonal and cognitive-emotional attributes, particularly empathy, EQ, and growth mindset, in fostering trust in multicultural WBE settings. These results refine SCT’s application to relational outcomes, demonstrating that attributes directly facilitating interpersonal connection are more influential for rapid trust formation than individual behavioral orientations or coping mechanisms, and offering practical implications for universities, organizations, and policymakers to design targeted interventions that strengthen trust-building competencies in future professionals.

Factorial Components Affecting Students’ Perceived Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction in Principles of Marketing Course: Implications for ASEAN Qualifications

Saran Phinijphara — 2026-06-01

This study aimed to examine the levels of personal factors related to teaching and learning in the Principles of Marketing course and to analyze the key components influencing students’ perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction. A quantitative research design was employed, using a questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. Convenience sampling was applied to select 400 undergraduate students enrolled in the Principles of Marketing course. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), with Principal Component Analysis and Varimax rotation. The results of the data suitability test showed that the KMO value was .907 and Bartlett’s Test was statistically significant, indicating the appropriateness of the dataset for factor analysis. The analysis extracted eight principal components: (1) teaching quality and learning environment; (2) motivation and learning skills; (3) support and prior knowledge; (4) learning outcomes and satisfaction; (5) assessment system; (6) active learning behaviors; (7) content quality and relevance; and (8) instructional media and educational technology. The findings highlight that successful learning in the Principles of Marketing course does not stem from a single factor but results from an interplay among teacher-related, learner-related, content-related, environmental, and technological dimensions. Among these, teaching quality and the learning environment emerged as the most influential components. The study provides valuable insights for enhancing instructional practices and strengthening course quality assurance in higher education.

Thailand’s Grand Strategy for Higher Education: Reimagining Universities as the Nation’s Brain in the ASEAN Context

Krissana Bulan — 2026-06-01

Thailand’s higher education reform has primarily focused on enhancing university efficiency, establishing quality assurance mechanisms, and aligning with labor market demands. While these initiatives have generated measurable improvements, they remain fragmented and predominantly operational, offering limited contribution to long-term national strategic capacity. This article argues that such limitations stem not from implementation failure but from a constrained conceptualization of universities’ role in national governance.

Drawing on the perspective of Grand Strategy, this study reframes universities as strategic institutions that generate national intelligence rather than merely deliver educational services. Building upon Nayef Al-Rodhan’s triadic intelligence framework (2016), the article introduces the Nation Brain System Model, integrating knowledge intelligence, moral intelligence, and digital intelligence within higher education governance. Within this framework, Thainess is conceptualized as national consciousness, research and artificial intelligence function as enabling cognitive mechanisms, and wisdom emerges as the sustaining condition for long-term societal development.

The article further situates Thailand’s higher education system within the ASEAN strategic environment, proposing that universities operate not only as national cognitive cores but also as interconnected nodes within a regional intelligence network. By linking higher education governance with ethical foundations, digital transformation, and regional connectivity, this study contributes an integrative framework to educational administration and public policy literature, offering strategic direction beyond incremental reform.