AI Adoption and Institutional Competitive Advantages: The Mediating Roles of Dynamic Capabilities and Moderation in Academic Transformation
TL;DR
An integrated conceptual model is proposed that advances the understanding of capability-based academic transformation and provides a theoretical foundation for future empirical research and strategic digital transformation initiatives in higher education institutions.
Abstract
Digital transformation has intensified the pressure on higher education institutions to achieve sustainable Institutional Competitive Advantage through the effective management of academic resources and digital technologies. Although Knowledge Creation Capability, Academic Innovation Capability, and Research Collaboration Capability have been widely recognized as important organizational capabilities, the mechanism through which these capabilities are transformed into Institutional Competitive Advantage remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to synthesize empirical evidence concerning the relationships among Knowledge Creation Capability, Academic Innovation Capability, Research Collaboration Capability, Institutional Dynamic Academic Capability, AI Adoption, and Institutional Competitive Advantage. A semi-systematic (narrative) literature review was conducted by synthesizing 78 empirical articles published in Scopus-indexed journals between 2020 and 2025. The conceptual synthesis integrates the Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capability Theory, and the Technology-Organization-Environment framework, while Structural Equation Modeling serves as the analytical perspective for interpreting the relationships reported in previous empirical studies. The synthesized evidence indicates that Knowledge Creation Capability, Academic Innovation Capability, and Research Collaboration Capability constitute complementary antecedents of Institutional Dynamic Academic Capability. Institutional Dynamic Academic Capability functions as the central mediating mechanism that transforms academic capabilities into Institutional Competitive Advantage, whereas AI Adoption strengthens this relationship by enhancing organizational adaptability, knowledge utilization, and strategic responsiveness. Based on these findings, this study proposes an integrated conceptual model that advances the understanding of capability-based academic transformation and provides a theoretical foundation for future empirical research and strategic digital transformation initiatives in higher education institutions.