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Note: DESI = Digital Economy and Society Index; HCDAF = Human Capital Digital
Adaptability Framework; LMS = Learning Management System
Human Capital Theory (Becker, 1964, as applied by Nozharov & Koralova-Nozharova,
2022) provides the foundational justification for investing in education and training as a
driver of productivity. Talent Agglomeration Theory (Huang, 2023) explains the positive
externalities generated when skilled workers concentrate in digitally-enabled urban or
corporate ecosystems. The Decentralised Trust Framework (Goodell, 2021) ensures that
the human element of digital systems is preserved through consensual, privacy-
respecting governance. Finally, the DESI model (Nagy, 2019) provides an empirical basis
for evaluating digital readiness at both organisational and national levels. Together, these
four lenses inform each of the three modules of the HCDAF and guide the design of the
hypothetical evaluation protocol presented in Section 3.
2.3. Research methodology
2.3.1. Research design and approach
This study adopts a mixed-methods research design, combining a qualitative-
conceptual framework with a proposed empirical validation strategy. Initially, the
research involved a systematic literature synthesis to construct the Human Capital Digital
Adaptability Framework (HCDAF), consistent with framework-building research in
management science. Subsequently, to address the need for practical verification, this
paper outlines a detailed pilot study methodology and a quasi-experimental design. This
approach provides a methodological blueprint for future empirical validation, outlining
the quantitative metrics and measurement instruments needed to test the framework’s
hypotheses in real-world settings.
2.3.2. Research model and hypotheses
The core research model posits that structured, multi-stage human capital
development -when aligned with organisational HR governance and digital infrastructure
-significantly improves workforce digital readiness, reduces vulnerability to technological
displacement, and enhances talent agglomeration. This model is operationalised through
the HCDAF and is supported by the following research hypotheses:
H1: Enterprises that implement structured foundational digital literacy programmes
will exhibit higher Corporate Digital Readiness Scores than those relying on traditional
training methods.
H2: Organisations with continuous internal reskilling pipelines will demonstrate
lower rates of structural unemployment and higher employee retention compared to
control-group enterprises.
H3: HR departments that operate as strategic governance units -leveraging data
analytics and decentralised workforce tools -will report higher rates of talent
agglomeration and internal promotion than administratively-oriented HR departments.
2.3.3. Data collection methods (proposed)
For the future empirical phase, the following data collection instruments are
proposed in alignment with the quasi-experimental evaluation design:
Corporate Digital Readiness Surveys: Adapted from the DESI framework (Nagy,
2019), administered at baseline and at the end of the 1-month observation period to both
treatment and control groups.
HR Analytics Dashboards: Quantitative tracking of employee retention rates,
promotion frequencies, and competency gap closure rates, extracted from enterprise HR
management systems.

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