Beyond digital adoption: The critical role of strategy implementation in Uganda’s education operational efficiency

This study investigates the influence of digital adoption on operational efficiency in Uganda’s education sector, with particular attention paid to the mediating role of strategy implementation. Specifically, the study examines whether digital adoption directly improves operational efficiency and whether strategy implementation enhances the relationship between digital adoption and operational efficiency. Using a quantitative research approach, data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 55 respondents, including administrators and teachers, between May and June 2025. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that digital adoption does not have a statistically significant direct effect on operational efficiency. However, digital adoption significantly and positively influences strategy implementation, while strategy implementation significantly enhances operational efficiency. In addition, strategy implementation fully mediates the relationship between digital adoption and operational efficiency. The study recommends that educational institutions and policymakers prioritize strategic execution, leadership support, digital infrastructure, and continuous capacity building to maximize the operational benefits of digital transformation initiatives. The study contributes to the existing literature by extending the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory through demonstrating that digital technologies improve operational efficiency only when effectively integrated into institutional strategic implementation processes within the context of Uganda’s education sector.