Digital Competencies Influencing Innovative Work Behavior among Academic Support Staff at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University

Abstract

This study aimed to (1) examine the levels of digital competency and innovative work behavior among academic support staff at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, and
(2) investigate the digital competencies influencing their innovative work behavior. The sample comprised 231 academic support staff. Data was collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that the overall levels of digital competency and innovative work behavior were high, with mean scores of 4.46 and 4.37, respectively. Regarding the components of digital competency, media and digital skills were rated at the highest level (M=4.53, SD=0.35), while digital understanding was rated at a high level (M=4.47, SD=0.33). For innovative work behavior, both initiatives were rated at a high level (M=4.42, SD=0.37) and opportunity exploration was rated at a high level (M=4.42, SD=0.34). Furthermore, the four dimensions of digital competency jointly explained 56.30% of the variance in innovative work behavior (Adjusted R² = .563) with statistical significance. Among the predictors, digital problem-solving using digital tools had the strongest effect (β=0.543, p=0.000), followed by digital understanding (β=0.212, p=0.000). This study contributes to the digital competency-innovation nexus in higher education administrative contexts. The findings indicate that enhancing the digital competencies of academic support personnel not only improves individual work performance, but also serves as an important mechanism for strengthening the innovative capacity of the organization. This, in turn, contributes to enhancing the university’s ability to adapt to change and respond sustainably to national development directions in the digital era.