Abstract
The unprecedented disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic compelled global hospitality chains to rapidly accelerate their digital transformation agendas to maintain operational continuity, safeguard guest health, and preserve financial viability. This study investigates the interrelationship between leadership styles—specifically transformational, transactional, and agile leadership—and dimensions of organizational agility (sensing, seizing, and transforming) during crisis-induced digital transitions. Utilizing a comparative mixed-methods design, quantitative survey data gathered from 348 mid-to-senior hospitality managers across four international hotel chains operating in Europe and Southeast Asia were evaluated alongside qualitative insights from 24 semi-structured executive interviews. Structural equation modeling revealed that while transformational leadership significantly enhances exploratory sensing and long-term transforming capabilities, agile leadership exerts the strongest direct influence on rapid seizing behaviors, enabling prompt deployment of contactless technologies and dynamic inventory realignment. Conversely, transactional leadership preserved procedural compliance during emergency digital protocols but hindered creative technological experimentation. The findings demonstrate that dynamic crisis adaptation requires an ambidextrous leadership configuration, where agile decision-making frameworks coalesce with inspiring transformational visions. This research provides hospitality executives with actionable strategies to cultivate organizational agility and structural resilience in post-pandemic, digitally mediated service environments.
