Digital Era Governance Paradigm in Public Administration: An Integrated Systematic Literature Review Mustofa Kamal (a*)- Susanti (b)
a) Universitas Terbuka
*kamalopek.bpkp[at]gmail.com
b) Universitas Terbuka
Abstract
Digital transformation in public administration has emerged as a strategic priority worldwide, yet existing literature on Digital Era Governance remains fragmented across thematic, geographical, and methodological dimensions. This study aimed to systematically synthesize empirical research on Digital Era Governance to identify evolutionary trends, theoretical gaps, and future research agendas. A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. A total of 61 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 were extracted from the Scopus database and analyzed using thematic synthesis. The findings revealed three major results. First, qualitative methods dominated the literature (55.74%), while quantitative studies received significantly higher citation impact. Second, research predominantly focused on administrative and digital transformation themes within developed countries, particularly the United States and Europe, leaving developing contexts substantially underrepresented. Third, theoretical frameworks remained anchored in classical models such as Digital Era Governance, Institutional Theory, and Public Value Theory, with limited integration of emerging issues including artificial intelligence ethics, cybersecurity, and digital regulation. The study concluded that future research must adopt mixed-method designs, expand geographical inclusivity, and integrate legal and ethical dimensions into Digital Era Governance frameworks to produce more holistic and globally applicable knowledge for public sector digital transformation.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, co-production, digital era governance, public administration, systematic literature review
Topic: Building Adaptive and Digitally-Enabled Public Administrations for Responsive Governance (Adaptive Governance- Digital Public Administration- Responsive Public Service Delivery)
