Modeling the impact of university administrators' digital skills on job performance: A structural equation approach in Ghana

This study explored the influence of university administrators’ digital skills-specifically computer and internet skills on job performance in Ghanaian higher education institutions. Grounded in Human Capital Theory and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the study focuses on two dimensions of job performance (i.e. task performance and contextual performance). A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, surveying 182 administrative staff from two public universities in southern Ghana. Data was collected using a structured online questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. The results of the study indicate that computer skills significantly predict task performance, while internet skills strongly predict contextual performance, also contextual performance significantly predict task performance. However, computer skills did not significantly affect contextual performance, nor did internet skills directly affect task performance. The findings underscore the differential impact of digital skill types on two dimensions of job performance. The study offers practical implications for university management, recommending targeted digital training programs and supportive institutional policies that promote both technical proficiency and collaborative behaviors. Theoretically it upholds the role of digital proficiency as a form of human capital extends UTAUT revealing how digital readiness translates into performance outcomes. The study further contributes valuable insights into optimizing administrative effectiveness through digital literacy in the context of Ghana’s evolving higher education landscape