Influence of Technology on Public Administration: Opportunities and Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15575/jcspi.v3i1.1782Keywords:
Influence, Technology, Opportunities, Challenges, Public administration, Puntland-SomaliaAbstract
This study examines the impact of technology on public administration, emphasising both its transformative opportunities and the challenges it presents. In the context of increasing digitisation, the research explores how innovations such as e-governance, automation, and data-driven decision-making influence efficiency, transparency, and service delivery within government institutions. The purpose of the study is to assess how technological tools contribute to administrative effectiveness and citizen engagement while identifying barriers that hinder their full implementation. A quantitative research design was employed, using an online questionnaire completed by 70 government employees from different departments, supplemented by secondary data from local and international reports, scholarly articles, and official websites on technology and governance. The findings reveal that technology significantly improves service delivery, operational efficiency, and public participation in governance. However, issues such as inadequate digital infrastructure, limited digital literacy among public officials, and cybersecurity risks constrain the effective use of these innovations. The study concludes that to fully harness the benefits of technology in public administration, governments must invest in robust digital infrastructure, provide continuous training for public servants, and implement policies promoting digital literacy and data protection. Addressing these challenges will strengthen institutional performance, enhance citizen trust, and ensure that public administration adapts effectively to the evolving demands of modern governance.
References
AlNuaimi, B. K., Singh, S. K., Ren, S., Budhwar, P., & Vorobyev, D. (2022). Mastering digital transformation: The nexus between leadership, agility, and digital strategy. Journal of Business Research, 145, 636–648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.03.038
Androniceanu, A. (2021). Transparency in public administration is a challenge for good democratic governance. Revista Administratie si Management Public (RAMP), 36, 149–164. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=964121
Ashok, M., Al Badi Al Dhaheri, M. S. M., Madan, R., & Dzandu, M. D. (2021). How to counter organisational inertia to enable knowledge management practices adoption in public sector organisations. Journal of Knowledge Management, 25(9), 2245–2273. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-09-2020-0700
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Borissov, B., & Hristozov, Y. (2024). Potential for using artificial intelligence in public administration. Innovative and Economic Research Journal, 12, 409–423. https://doi.org/10.2478/eoik-2024-0034
Criado, J. I., Sandoval-Almazán, R., & Gil-Garcia, J. R. (2024). Artificial intelligence and public administration: Understanding actors, governance, and policy from micro, meso, and macro perspectives. Public Policy and Administration. https://doi.org/10.1177/09520767241272921
Damar, M., Özen, A., Çakmak, Ü. E., Özoğuz, E., & Erenay, F. S. (2024). Super AI, generative AI, narrow AI and chatbots: An assessment of artificial intelligence technologies for the public sector and public administration. Journal of AI, 8(1), 83–106. https://doi.org/10.61969/jai.1512906
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
Desouza, K. C., Dawson, G. S., & Chenok, D. (2020). Designing, developing, and deploying artificial intelligence systems: Lessons from and for the public sector. Business Horizons, 63(2), 205–213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2019.11.004
Febriyanti, D., Widianingsih, I., Sumaryana, A., & Buchari, R. A. (2023). Information communication technology (ICT) on Palembang city government, Indonesia: Performance measurement for great digital governance. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(2), 2269710. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2269710
Grassi, L., & Lanfranchi, D. (2022). RegTech in public and private sectors: The nexus between data, technology and regulation. Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, 49(3), 441–479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40812-022-00226-0
Inakefe, G. I., Bassey, V. U., & Amadi, J. O. (2024). Evaluation of the policy and institutional implications of digital tools in e-governance reforms implementation for service delivery in Cross River State Civil Service, Nigeria. SAGE Open, 14(4), 21582440241297047. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241297047
Johnston, J. (2015). Public administration: Organisational aspects. In the Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.73057-1
Junaidi, A., Sabtohadi, J., Wibowo, A. M., Wibowo, S. S., Asgar, A., Pramono, E. P., & Yenti, E. (2024). The role of public administration and social media educational socialisation in influencing public satisfaction on population services: The mediating role of population literacy awareness. International Journal of Data & Network Science, 8(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.9.019
Kimani, J. G. (2017). Challenges facing the integration and use of ICT in the management of county governments in Kenya. Journal of Information and Technology, 1(1), 1–11. https://www.stratfordjournals.com/journals/index.php/Journal-of-Information-and-Techn/article/view/5
Kuhlmann, S., & Heuberger, M. (2023). Digital transformation going local: Implementation, impacts and constraints from a German perspective. Public Money & Management, 43(2), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2021.1939584
Levy, K., Chasalow, K. E., & Riley, S. (2021). Algorithms and decision-making in the public sector. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 17(1), 309–334. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-041221-023808
Lewin, K. (2013). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers (reprint edition). Isha Books. https://openlibrary.org/books/OL9488829M/Field_theory_in_social_science
Moore, M. H. (2013). Creating public value: Strategic management in government. Harvard University Press. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674175587
Mærøe, A. R., Norta, A., Tsap, V., & Pappel, I. (2020). ncreasing citizen participation in e-participatory budgeting processes. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 25. https://doi.org/10.1080/19331681.2020.1821421
Mergel, I., Edelmann, N., & Haug, N. (2019). Defining digital transformation: Results from expert interviews. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), 101385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.06.002
Miriam, L. (2019). Digital Government: Managing Public Sector Reform in the Digital Era. London: Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315622408
Neeley, T., & Leonardi, P. (2022). Developing a digital mindset. Harvard Business Review, 100(5–6), 50–55. https://hbr.org/2022/05/developing-a-digital-mindset
Osborne, S. P., Nasi, G., & Powell, M. (2021). Beyond co‐production: Value creation and public services. Public Administration, 99(4), 641–657. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12718
Quach, S., Thaichon, P., Martin, K. D., Weaven, S., & Palmatier, R. W. (2022). Digital technologies: Tensions in privacy and data. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 50(6), 1299–1323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-022-00845-y
Radin, B. A. (2020). What have we learned in the fields of public policy and public administration that might be relevant to the coronavirus pandemic? The American Review of Public Administration, 50(6–7), 743–745. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020942426
Samoili, S., Lopez, C., Gomez, G. E., De Prato, G., Martinez-Plumed, F., & Delipetrev, B. (2020). AI Watch: Defining artificial intelligence. European Commission. https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC118163
Sitti Hairani Idrus, Sumartono, E., Wartono, W., Suharto, S., & Syahriar, I. (2024). Harnessing digital transformation for improved public service delivery: Lessons from global administrative practices. Journal of Social Science, 13. https://ejournal.mellbaou.com/index.php/join/article/view/27
Smith, M. R., & Marx, L. (Eds.). (1994). Does technology drive history? The dilemma of technological determinism. MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262193474/does-technology-drive-history/
Sofyani, H., Riyadh, H. A., & Fahlevi, H. (2020). Improving service quality, accountability and transparency of local government: The intervening role of information technology governance. Cogent Business & Management, 7(1), 1735690. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2020.1735690
Swasthaisong, S., Klawklong, T., Toochaleesrithin, S., Thirawan, R., & Multha, A. (2025). Transforming the public sector for a just and sustainable society and future trends. Journal of Public and Private Issues, 2(1), 1–15. https://so17.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jppi/article/view/773
Sydorenko, N. (2021). Digitalisation: Electronic administrative services. Journal of Public Administration, Psychology, Law, 4, 11–15. https://doi.org/10.51547/ppp.dp.ua/2021.4.2
Trist, E. L., & Bamforth, K. W. (1951). Some social and psychological consequences of the longwall method of coal-getting. Human Relations, 4(1), 3–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872675100400101
Xu, C. K., & Tang, T. (2020). Closing the gap or widening the divide: The impacts of technology‐enabled coproduction on equity in public service delivery. Public Administration Review, 80(6), 962–975. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13222
Yao, Y. (2024). Digital government information platform construction: Technology, challenges and prospects. International Journal of Social Sciences and Public Administration, 2(3), 48–56. https://doi.org/10.62051/ijsspa.v2n3.06
Yigitcanlar, T., Desouza, K. C., Butler, L., & Roozkhosh, F. (2020). Contributions and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) in building smarter cities: Insights from a systematic review of the literature. Energies, 13(6), 1473. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13061473
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdirizak Husein Nor, Ezekiel Ingudia Malenge
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.