STRATEGIC HRM, OPEN INNOVATION, AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITY PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Sustainable development has become a strategic priority for higher education institutions (HEIs) amid rising societal expectations, rapid digital disruption, and global sustainability agendas. While previous studies have examined human resource management (HRM), open Innovation (OI), and digital transformation (DT) in relation to sustainability, their findings are scattered and often discussed separately. This study reviews existing research to explain how HRM contributes to Sustainable University Performance (SUP) and to clarify the enabling roles of OI and DT as organizational mechanisms. Using the PRISMA guideline, this study retrieved 742 records from Scopus (n = 412) and Web of Science (n = 330). After removing 186 duplicates, this study screened 556 records, reviewed 118 full-text articles for eligibility, and selected 54 studies for the thematic synthesis. The findings reveal four dominant themes: (1) strategic HRM as a key foundation that helps develop staff skills and practices for sustainability; (2) OI as a collaborative approach that supports knowledge sharing and stronger engagement with stakeholders; (3) DT as a supporting process that improves digital readiness, flexibility, and coordination of work systems, and (4) SUP as a multidimensional outcome that includes environmental responsibility, social contribution, and effective institutional performance. Evidence also suggests that OI and DT frequently mediate the relationship between HRM and sustainable outcomes, highlighting a process-oriented pathway rather than a purely outcome-based association. This review provides an integrated conceptual framework and identifies research gaps for future empirical testing, thereby supporting hypothesis development to advance sustainable Transformation in HEIs.

Keywords: Strategic HRM, Open Innovation, Digital Transformation, Sustainable University Performance, Higher Education Institutions, Systematic Literature Review