Reducing Digital Resistance through Digital Competence: Evidence from Administrative Staff at Universitas Padjadjaran

Abstract

Administrative work at Universitas Padjadjaran changed considerably as the university expanded its use of integrated digital systems for academic and administrative services, a shift that raised concerns about digital resistance because technology adoption in higher education does not always proceed smoothly when staff readiness is uneven.     Positioning digital competence as a central factor, this study investigated its role in reducing digital resistance among administrative staff, alongside the contributions of digital workload and technostress, with technostress modeled as a mediator.  A causal explanatory, cross-sectional, quantitative design was used. Structured questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale were distributed to administrative staff, yielding 215 initial responses; after a data quality screening process removed 13 unsuitable responses, 202 valid responses were retained for analysis.  Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, applying a second-order reflective-reflective construct model in SmartPLS, was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that digital competence exerted a negative, significant effect on technostress and constituted the strongest path within the model, whereas digital workload showed no significant effect on technostress. Neither digital competence nor digital workload directly and significantly predicted digital resistance; instead, technostress significantly and positively predicted digital resistance and fully mediated the pathway from digital competence to digital resistance. Digital competence therefore appeared to lower digital resistance indirectly, by reducing technostress rather than through a direct effect. Universitas Padjadjaran was encouraged to strengthen digital competence development and improve communication during system changes to manage technostress and digital resistance among its administrative staff.