Title: How digital strategy and sustainability strategy affect competitive excellence: a study of Iraqi telecommunications companies

Authors: Hatem Ali Abdullah

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, College of Administration and Economics, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq

Abstract: The study aims to examine competitive excellence in the context of developing countries through the impact of the digital strategy on the competitive excellence of the Iraqi telecom companies. The sustainability strategy was used as a mediating variable in the relationship between digital strategy and competitive excellence. The study focuses on achieving its objectives and building its hypotheses based on theoretical literature and according to the perspective of Arab countries through a survey of Iraqi telecom companies (Asiacell, Zain Iraq, and Korek telecom). The data were collected through a questionnaire using a non-random sampling method, and the valid responses for analysis were 220. The study concludes that the competitive excellence in the Iraqi telecom companies is affected by the digital strategy. The sustainability strategy maximises this impact through the companies' work with activities and operations that take into account social responsibility and sustainable development and takes into consideration environmental activities.

Keywords: digital strategy; sustainability strategy; competitive excellence; Asiacell; Zain Iraq; Korek telecom.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBPM.2026.156109

International Journal of Business Performance Management, 2026 Vol.27 No.5, pp.595 - 617

Received: 05 Apr 2024
Accepted: 05 Jul 2024
Published online: 04 Sep 2026 *

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