LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS IN UZBEKISTAN'S DIGITAL GOVERNMENT TRANSFORMATION

Abstract

Uzbekistan government embarked on comprehensive digital modernization following President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's reform agenda. The "Digital Uzbekistan-2030" strategy mandated full digitization across thousands of agencies managing national resources and citizen services. Central ministries, economic bodies, and local authorities received ambitious targets for transparency, service delivery, security, and operational efficiency. Leadership emerged as the critical success factor. Agency heads navigated complex stakeholder ecosystems including technical teams, international partners, political oversight, and citizen expectations. Transformation required balancing immediate operational demands with long-term strategic vision. Global digital government leaders like Estonia and Singapore emphasized executive commitment, but Central Asia contexts presented unique post-Soviet bureaucratic challenges. This research addresses three core questions: which leadership competencies most strongly predict digital transformation outcomes, how do organizational culture and political pressures moderate leadership effectiveness, and what development framework optimizes public sector CxO performance. The study excludes private sector comparisons to maintain government agency focus. Expected contributions include validated leadership model and national training blueprint for digital executives.