Abstract

This study aimed to develop and empirically map competitive entrepreneurial leadership of school principals in the digital era by examining the perceptions of teachers and educational personnel. A quantitative survey design was employed, with data collected from 308 respondents working in private schools in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. The instrument measured three core dimensions of leadership: entrepreneurial characteristics (EC), strategic management (SM), and digital-era competitive capability (DC). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze patterns and relationships across these dimensions. The findings revealed that all dimensions were perceived at a high level, with digital capability emerging as the strongest (M = 4.02), followed by entrepreneurial characteristics (M = 3.83) and strategic management (M = 3.82). While entrepreneurial characteristics demonstrated relative consistency across dimensions, strategic management exhibited greater variability, indicating inconsistencies in strategic execution. These results suggest the presence of a variation across dimensions among leadership dimensions. Building on these findings, the study proposes a multi-layered conceptual mapping model that situates leadership within a broader system of external environmental forces, enabling conditions, and organizational pressures. The model identifies an “potential alignment issue” between leadership capacity, particularly in digital and entrepreneurial domains, and the effective integration of these capabilities into strategic practices. The study contributes to the literature by advancing a systems-based perspective on educational leadership, emphasizing that leadership effectiveness in the digital era depends on the alignment and interaction of multiple competencies within complex contexts. The findings also provide practical implications for strengthening strategic alignment to enhance leadership effectiveness and organizational sustainability in educational settings.

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