Modelling the associations between digital skills, psychological capital, dynamic capabilities and technostress among course tutors

Purpose This study investigated how digital skills influence technostress among course tutors, with particular attention to the mediating roles of dynamic capabilities and psychological capital. Design/methodology/approach An explanatory cross-sectional survey was employed, and 885 tutors from 48 College of Distance Education study centres were sampled. After confirming reliability, validity and minimal common-method bias, relationships were estimated with PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4), including mediation tests and an importance–performance map analysis. Findings The study found that digital skills increase dynamic capabilities (β = 0.121, p < 0.001) and psychological capital (β = 0.595, p < 0.001) and directly lower technostress (β = −0.209, p < 0.001). Dynamic capabilities (β = −0.153, p = 0.049) and psychological capital (β = −0.160, p = 0.001) further reduced technostress. The model accounted for 5.9% of the variance in dynamic capabilities, 35.4% in psychological capital and 13.1% in technostress. Indirect effects via psychological capital (β = −0.095, p < 0.01) and dynamic capabilities (β = −0.019, p < 0.05) were significant. Importance–performance map analysis highlighted psychological capital as the highest-leverage lever. Research limitations/implications The single-wave self-report design constrains causal inference; the single-institution sampling frame limits population generalisability; and the modest variance explained for dynamic capabilities (5.9%) and technostress (13.1%) leaves substantial residual heterogeneity unexplained. Future research should employ measurement drawn from multiple sources, longitudinal designs sampling tutors across at least three waves to permit panel analysis with lagged predictors, and replication across multiple institutions and cultural settings. Practical implications The study emphasise that institutions need to integrate continuous professional development that strengthens adaptive practices and builds psychological capital through mentoring, resilience workshops and reflective learning, supported by adequate technological infrastructure and responsive IT systems. Social implications Holistic development of digital and psychological resources can protect tutors' well-being, improve retention and service quality, and strengthen institutional adaptability amid ongoing digitalisation. Originality/value The study offered an integrated framework linking digital skills, dynamic capabilities, psychological capital and technostress, with large-sample evidence from a sub-Saharan higher-education context.