Digital transformation leadership: A public value-centered measurement scale

We introduce a psychometrically validated scale to measure Digital Transformation Leadership in public organizations. As governments adopt new digital technologies to improve processes and services, understanding how managers effectively lead these transformations is essential. Although research on digital transformation and public sector leadership is growing, no measurement instrument grounded in a public value perspective currently exists. Following a preregistered analysis plan, we developed the scale through a rigorous multi-stage process of item development, scale construction, and evaluation. Our findings show that Digital Transformation Leadership comprises two dimensions. First, a Strategic dimension: how managers develop a vision, foster collaboration, and consider public preferences. Second, an Operational dimension: how managers guide employees, internal processes, and outputs. Additional analyses support the scale's validity, showing positive correlations with perceived leadership effectiveness, public leadership, work engagement, and job satisfaction. We further discuss how items may be used in shorter subscales or as templates. The scale offers a foundation for future research on the role of Digital Transformation Leadership in public organizations. • We present a measurement scale for Digital Transformation Leadership grounded in a public value perspective. • The scale captures two distinct dimensions: Strategic and Operational Digital Transformation Leadership. • Construct validity is supported through positive associations with leadership constructs and employee outcomes. • The scale offers a tool for assessing leadership in digital transformation processes in public sector contexts.