An Integrated Sustainable Business Growth Model for Malaysia’s Telco Industry through the Effect of Multigenerational Workforce Management and Digital Transformation

Cheong, Kong Ming (2025) An Integrated Sustainable Business Growth Model for Malaysia’s Telco Industry through the Effect of Multigenerational Workforce Management and Digital Transformation. Doctoral thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

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Abstract

Achieving Sustainable Business Growth is the goal for all Malaysia’s Telecommunications companies because of the drastic business impact from Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) and the challenges in managing the changing dynamics of multigenerational workforce (Baby Boomer, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z). Due to IR4.0, new rivalry (WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype, Signal, WeChat) emerged and competing with Telco services (SMS, MMS, Voice Call) causing declining of Telco financial performance. With IR4.0, it also forced Telco to speed up digital transformation journey to meet the expectation of customers/subscribers (Digital Apps, Excellence Network, Excellence Customer Service, Self-Serve Services). Adding to the complexity, minimum 4 different generations of employees that has diverse characteristic, way of collaboration and way of engagement exists within the same company. The main purpose of this research is to understand and identify the factors that influence the achievement of Sustainable Business Growth for Malaysia Telcos and propose an effective Integrated Sustainable Business Growth model through the effect of multigenerational workforce management and digital transformation. Sustainable Business Growth refers to the ability of the employees and leaders working together to overcome existing challenges and to achieve long-term growth of the company thru the measurements of financial performance, customer based, and employee’s satisfaction without incurring additional burden to the company such as debt, loan, or equity. This model will be part of the contribution to the industry, it allowed management of Telco to understand the needs of their own employees, how to motivate them into embracing and supporting the change from digital transformation which indirectly contributing to the financial and customer growth. This study aimed to identify an integrated fit model of Sustainable Business Growth thru independent variables such as Multigenerational Workforce Engagement, Multigenerational Workforce Collaboration, Multigenerational Workforce Characteristics, and mediating variables such as Managing Changing Dynamic of Workforce and Digital Transformation. Target population for this research includes working adults in Malaysia’s top 3 biggest consumer-based Telecommunications companies (Maxis, Celcom, or Digi). Inclusive of working adults born in year 1946 – 1964 (Baby Boomers), 1965 – 1980 (Gen X), 1981 – 1996 (Gen Y) and 1997 – 2012 (Gen Z). Both genders (Male or Female) and position in the company (Managerial or Non-managerial). According to recommendation of Krejcie and Morgan, researcher distributed 367 online surveys and collected 332 responses. Researcher used Mahalanobis distance to remove the outliers, leaving 283 valid responses for data analysis using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). In this thesis, four theories (Resource-Based Theory, Strauss-Howe Generational Theory, Leader-Member Exchange Theory and Dynamic Capabilities Theory) was used as the research anchor. According to Resource-Based Theory, company that focus on their employees will eventually develop sustainable competitive advantage that cannot be duplicate by competitors. Strauss-Howe Generational Theory explained the fourth turning of different generations that provide better understanding for the leaders on engagement, collaboration, and characteristic. Leader-Member Exchange Theory rationalized the important of leader to use different leadership styles in managing the changing dynamic of multigenerational workforce. Dynamic Capabilities Theory talked about the needs of leaders to manage the changing dynamics of the business to cater for rapid technological advancements and the capabilities for the employees to adapt and integrate with the change. Researcher used the 283 responses to validate the research framework using all the 9 Hypothesis to validate the achievement of Research Objectives. Based on the bootstrapping methods (Path/Beta Coefficients β-Value >0, Significant Test T-Value >1.96 and Probability P-Value <0.05), only 2 out of 9 hypothesis considered not significant, therefore two research objectives are not supported. Although some hypothesis is not significant but it corresponding to other thesis and journals, those variables are considered important. Thus, it was included into the design of Sustainable Business Growth Model. This research will provide Contribution to Body of Knowledge such as literature/theoretical gaps and Managerial Implications. The new proposed Bryan’s Sustainable Business Growth Model (BSBG) is the managerial implications that eased management to overcome business stagnating, drop of market share, down trend of revenue gain, low morale of the employees, dropping of customer based and digital transformation which part of the company goal to achieve long-term sustainable business growth.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Divisions: Theses and Dissertations > Doctoral Theses
Depositing User: Victoria Hankinson
Date Deposited: 03 Apr 2025 13:34
Last Modified: 03 Apr 2025 13:34
URI: https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/3678

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