Technology adoption enhances human resource capabilities to contribute to organizational efficiency and

competitive advantage. This study examined how electronic human resources management (e-HRM) practices,

moderated by digital literacy, improve organizational performance in North-Western Nigeria. The study was

guided by the Technology Acceptance Model, complemented by Resource Base View and Human Capital

Theories. Using a cross-sectional survey, data were collected by questionnaire from 592 employees of seven

federal universities in North-Western Nigeria. A total sample size of 448 respondents was used. Descriptive and

inferential statistics tests using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to

negative but significant moderating influence on the relationship between e-recruitment and organizational

performance. This would imply that possessing digital competencies alone is insufficient to guarantee improved

recruitment outcomes when the supporting technological infrastructure and recruitment systems are ineffective

Based on these findings, the study recommends that the management of federal universities should establish

technical support and mentoring systems to ensure staff continuously improve their digital capabilities and adapt

to evolving technologies.

Performance, e-Performance Appraisal

Digital dynamics have intensified expectations for universities to produce skilled and competitive manpower

efficient utilization of technological systems (AlHamad et al., 2022; Gede & Huluka, 2024; Obama et al., 2020).

A survey by the United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO), (2024), revealed

that Harvard University ranked top with 80% - 90% for integrating e-HRM into HR activities covering

recruitment, payroll, research and development, performance management, training, and administrative

operations, followed by University of Leeds potentially at 70% - 85% with academic research and practices. On

the other hand, a survey by World Bank of African Higher Education revealed that universities in Rivers and

Bayelsa in Nigeria are generally e-HRM integrated at 30% - 40%, while institutions in Sokoto State are at 20%

- 30% and the Federal University Dutsin-MA accounted for 30% - 40%. The global and African e-HRM adoption

universities in developed countries have made substantial progress in integrating e-HRM systems, those in

records (Obama et al., 2020). A number of studies, such as Alhamad et al., 2022; Hosain, 2017; Varadaraj and

Al Wadi, 2021, used e-self-service systems (ESS/MSS), e-HR records and information management (HRIS), e-

salary payment system (e-SPS) to explicate the role of e-HRM in corporate performance. This study used e-

recruitment, e-performance appraisal, and e-communication, as these dimensions are highly relevant for

explaining the performance differences among federal universities in North-Western Nigeria.

The adoption of e-HRM in Nigerian federal universities has been gradual, with varying degrees of

implementation and effectiveness across institutions. While some universities have made strides in integrating

e-HRM systems to enhance administrative efficiency and decision-making, others face challenges that hinder

full adoption. The challenges include inadequate funding as federal universities often struggle with limited

budgets, prioritizing teaching, research, and infrastructure over administrative technology, which requires

of digital literacy.

Nigerian federal universities play a vital role in education, research, and innovation within challenging

environment entrenched by inefficient traditional human resource management practices (Aleru, 2023).

Traditional processes are prone to avoidable delays, errors, and transparency issues, which do hinder recruitment,

development, and retention of key staff, and detracts from organizational performance. Effective adoption of e-

HRM could address these issues by automating processes, improving decision-making, and enhancing service

delivery (Ogunode & Emmanuel, 2023). Empirical studies by Bhatt and Poduval, 2023; Shamaileh et al., 2022;

Elsawy, 2021; Obama et al., 2020; Umar et al., 2020; and Hosain, 2017 revealed inconsistent findings about the

nexus between e-HRM and corporate performance. These conflicting results pose challenges in developing

complexities, exposing a methodological gap that this research addressed by aligning with broader goals to foster

innovation and enhance global competitiveness for improved higher education quality. This informed the first

hypothesis of the study:

HO1. Digital literacy does not have any significant effect on organizational performance of federal universities

in north-western Nigeria.

Some prior works established inconsistent findings that continue to compel researchers to search for clear cause

and effect relationships. For example, the studies of Alrifae, et al., 2026; Gbadebo, 2025; Asamoah-Appiah et

al., 2024 established positive results while Alomaria, 2023; Elsawy, 2021; Hosain, 2017 found negative results

with inadequate sample size determination for their studies. These inconsistent findings affect the refinement of

introduced digital literacy as moderator to test any conditional relationships, refine the theoretical postulates of

real-world complexities, and validate or query existing models. The following hypotheses were explored to

address these aspects of the research model:

HO3. E-Performance Appraisal has no significant effect on organisational performance of federal universities in

north-western Nigeria.

Organizational performance is a widely explored variable in numerous studies, though with varying definitions

and measurements (Stannack, 2023). According to El-Borsaly and Hassan (2020), organizational performance

connotes corporate capability to execute a particular strategy successfully and the collective output of

employees’ efforts. Kalogiannidis (2021) defined organizational performance as how effectively organizations

perform their activities and meet desired objectives, meaning that actual outputs in terms of results should

capacity to achieve goals, meet stakeholder expectations, and operate efficiently and effectively. Performance is

multidimensional; it encompasses teaching and learning outcomes, research products, and community relevance.

The Balanced Scorecard (Kaplan & Norton, 1992) and transformational leadership (Bryman, 2007) were adapted

to measure performance across multiple dimensions in higher educational institutions, including academic

(2023), digital literacy involves an individual's competence in discovering, accessing, managing, integrating,

and critically evaluating digital content to produce new knowledge, create media outputs, and communicate ideas

within organizational and everyday settings. Within higher educations, the cultivation of digital literacy among

teachers, students, and other staff is vital for achieving digital transformation in practices and professional

developments. For this study, digital literacy refers to ability of students, faculties, and other staff to effectively

use digital tools, technologies, and platforms for teaching, learning, research, and administrative purposes. It

encompasses skills, knowledge and attitudes for navigating, evaluating, creating and communicating information

in a digitalised environment within appropriate ethical boundaries (Schallmo et al., 2017; Irielle, 2024; Xia &

Zhang, 2024).

digital technology and internet-based systems into HRM practices and processes to achieve efficiency of the

organization’s daily operations. The e-HRM proxies used in this study are e-recruitment, e-performance

appraisal, and e-communication.

into account the mediating effect of organizational reputation. The research included 213 participants from the

fishing sector and utilized partial least squares structural equation modelling (SEM) for data analysis. The results

indicated that e-recruitment significantly influenced the perceptions of recent graduates regarding the

organization's attractiveness and reputation. While factors such as e-recruitment content quality, website design,

and communication and feedback systems play a major role in shaping these perceptions. The findings help us

understand how e-recruitment can increase an organization's attractiveness and how this has practical

implications for companies in designing a website.

Adawiah and Putra (2024) examined how the implementation of e-recruitment affects company credibility, the

efficiency of candidate selection, and process transparency from the viewpoint of job applicants. Through a

descriptive methodology, the research revealed that e-recruitment significantly impacted all three aspects,

shown to positively and significantly influence job satisfaction, which subsequently mediates the relationship

between the independent variables and performance outcomes.

The conceptual framework illustrates the linkage between the independent and dependent variables under

investigation. In this model, the E-Human Resource Management (e-HRM) serves as the independent variable,

demonstrating its directional influence on organisational performance (OP), while digital literacy is the

moderating variable. This framework reflects a direct and moderating relationship, emphasizing how the use of

extensively in higher education research to explain the adoption of ICT systems, learning management platforms,

and e-administration.

contributed to understanding technology adoption, its widespread dominance may have shifted focus away from

other critical research areas, potentially giving a false impression of progress in knowledge development.

through unique, valuable, and hard-to-imitate resources and capabilities. This will tell on the organization’s

performance. E-HRM systems can be seen as strategic resources that improve efficiency, innovation, and

decision-making, thereby enhancing performance. Resource-Based View argues that organizations gain

competitive advantage through valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable resources (Barney, 1991).

Human capital, organizational routines, and technological capabilities are central RBV resources. In universities,

e-HRM systems and staff digital competencies constitute strategic resources that can improve administrative

efficiency and service quality. E-HRM practices such as e-recruiting, e-compensation, and e-training can be

viewed as resources/tools that enable organizations to ensure this competitive advantage and engineer to gain

the maximum outcomes (Almasradi et al., 2022).

Studies from Nigerian federal universities indicate that ICT infrastructure and staff ICT competencies are

economic performance (Awu & Darius, 2025). The foundations of human capital theory were laid by economists

productivity and earning potential, directly impacting economic growth (Becker, 1964; Schultz, 1961). It is a

skills, knowledge, and experience as a means of enhancing productivity and economic performance (Becker,

1964; Schultz, 1961). Becker (1964) argued that employees’ skills, knowledge, and abilities contribute directly

to organizational performance. Digital literacy is a form of human capital that enhances the effective use of E-

and automation raises questions about the future value of certain skill sets in the labour market. As AI and

machine learning technologies continue to evolve, workers may need to adapt quickly to changes in job

requirements, suggesting that the nature of human capital is more dynamic than previously understood

(Brynjolfsson & McAfee, 2014). Nevertheless, human capital theory remains a pivotal framework for

understanding the relationship between education, skills, and economic productivity. It underscores the necessity

of investing in individuals’ potential to drive economic growth and social progress.

The researcher employed quantitative survey to examine the relationships between E-HRM and organizational

performance (OP), and the moderator, (DL). This was considered relevant as the purpose of the study was to

delineate one or more factors that are causing another to vary (Sekaran & Bougie, 2013). It was thus expected

that the findings would provide appropriate solution to the given problem from statistical patterns found (Bhatti,

Hee, & Sundram, 2012). The survey was cross-sectional.

effective actual sample for the study was 448 respondents, and the data so collected was analysed to achieve the

study objectives.

The data was analysed with Smart-PLS based multiple regression model. This was suitable in view of its

capability in estimating path coefficients, evaluating relationships within measurement models, conducting

bootstrapping algorithms, and analysing complex interactions among variables in structural equation modelling

(SEM). The basic assumptions (Hair et al. 2010; Tabachnick & Fidell , 2019), for multiple regression analysis

were appropriately satisfied by the data characteristics. The parameters of the model were estimated using the

following multiple regression model:

OP = F(e-HRM)………………(1)

Since:

OP*DL+µȶ……. (3)

EC = E-communication

DL = Digital Literacy (moderator variable)

= Coefficients (parameters of relevance)

β0 = Intercept

µȶ = Error Term (unobserved factors)

To assess the reliability of the measurement model, both Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability were

internal consistency (Hair et al., 2014, 2018, 2021)..

Digital Literacy

Organizational

Performance

common variance (Hair et al., 2022; Fornell & Larcker, 1981). Convergent validity was assessed using the

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