TITLE:
Digital Transformation and Business Sustainability: Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Strategic Management and Organizational Performance: A Case Study of Makerere University, Uganda
AUTHORS:
Joseph Kikomeko
KEYWORDS:
Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, Strategic Management, Business Sustainability, Ugandan Higher Education
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.14 No.4,
July
14,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study examines the strategic orchestration of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) to advance business sustainability and organizational performance through an in-depth qualitative case study of Makerere University, Uganda. Utilizing an exploratory qualitative case study design grounded in interpretivism and phenomenology, this inquiry investigates how university administrators, ICT directors, and quality assurance officers navigate systemic technological change. The findings demonstrate that while digital initiatives, specifically Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL) platforms, significantly enhance strategic agility and administrative speed, institutional sustainability is actively threatened by a persistent digital divide, high bandwidth costs, and misaligned faculty workload structures. Furthermore, the deployment of AI in back-office administration yields powerful predictive capabilities for enrollment forecasting and resource optimization, yet its execution is currently obstructed by fragmented data quality, cultural staff resistance, and a distinct regulatory policy vacuum. The study concludes that successful digital transformation requires a shift from uncoordinated technology procurement to a holistic, socio-technical alignment of dynamic organizational capabilities. Accordingly, we recommend that higher education institutions and regulatory bodies: 1) establish formalized AI governance and ethical audit frameworks; 2) build localized digital data competencies; and 3) formally recognize digital pedagogy within academic workload allocation models.