The Evolution of Public Sector Leadership in the Era of Digital Transformation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58290/ijpap.v1i1.14Keywords:
Digital Transformation, Public Sector Leadership, Public ServicesAbstract
Digital transformation has brought significant changes to the public sector, demanding adaptive, data-driven, and collaborative leadership to enhance efficiency and service quality. This research aims to identify the role of transformational, data-driven, and cross-sectoral leadership in managing digital transformation in the public sector, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities involved. A qualitative approach through a literature review is employed to analyse various relevant academic sources, including journals, books, and reports from 2015 to 2024. Data collection techniques involve searching academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The findings reveal that transformational leadership significantly contributes to the success of digital transformation by fostering innovation and driving organisational cultural change. Data-driven leadership enhances accountability and efficiency, while cross-sectoral collaboration strengthens the digital ecosystem through multi-stakeholder participation. These findings also highlight key challenges, including organisational cultural resistance, technological infrastructure limitations, and data security issues. The study concludes by emphasising the importance of public sector leaders integrating technology-driven, data-informed, and participatory strategies to design sustainable digital transformations. The practical implications of this research include strategic guidance for the public sector to navigate dynamic digital changes.
Downloads
References
Ali, M., Abdulahi, A., & Adamu, A. (2020). Digital transformation challenges and strategies in developing countries: A systematic review. Journal of Information Technology, 10(3), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Bason, C. (2018). Leading public design: How managers engage with design to transform public governance. Public Management Review, 20(2), 275–296. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Bertot, J. C., Estevez, E., & Janowski, T. (2016). Universal and contextualized public services: Digital government evolution. Government Information Quarterly, 33(3), 237–245. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Cordella, A., & Bonina, C. M. (2021). The new public management, e-government, and the notion of public value: Beyond the data-driven government. Government Information Quarterly, 38(1), 101569. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Criado, J. I., Sandoval-Almazan, R., & Gil-Garcia, J. R. (2018). Government innovation through social media: Public policy challenges in the digital age. Government Information Quarterly, 35(4), 552–564. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Dunleavy, P., Margetts, H., Bastow, S., & Tinkler, J. (2018). Digital era governance: IT corporations, the state, and e-government. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Gascó, M. (2017). Living labs: Implementing open innovation in the public sector. Government Information Quarterly, 34(1), 90–98. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Håkansson, J., & Söderholm, A. (2019). Transformational leadership in public organizations: Practice and paradoxes. Leadership, 15(2), 176–195. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Janssen, M., & Van der Voort, H. (2016). Adaptive governance: Towards a stable, accountable, and responsive government. Government Information Quarterly, 33(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Mergel, I., Edelmann, N., & Haug, N. (2019). Defining digital transformation: Results from expert interviews. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), 101385. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Meijer, A. (2020). Public innovation capacity: Developing and testing a self-assessment survey instrument. Public Management Review, 22(6), 902–923. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Norris, D. F., & Reddick, C. G. (2021). Local government technology adoption in the COVID-19 era. Public Administration Review, 81(4), 560–572. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Osborne, S. P., Radnor, Z., & Kinder, T. (2018). The SERVICE framework: A public-service-dominant approach to sustainable public services. Public Administration Review, 78(4), 514–526. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Scholl, H. J., & AlAwadhi, S. (2016). Smart governance as key to multi-level system integration: Dimensions and principles. Government Information Quarterly, 33(3), 564–575. https://doi.org/10.xxxx
Yılmaz, H., & Kılıçarslan, A. (2022). Big data and public sector transformation: Challenges and opportunities. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 32(2), 300–318. https://doi.org/10.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Heri Sugiyanto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
All articles published in the International Journal of Public Administration and Policy are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This license allows others to share, adapt, and build upon the work, even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit the original creation and license their new creations under the identical terms.
By submitting and publishing with the International Journal of Public Administration and Policy, authors agree to the following terms:
Ownership and Copyright
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right to first publication. The work will be simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA), ensuring continued free and open access to the research.
Attribution Requirements
When reusing or redistributing the published material, proper attribution must include:
- Citation of the original article.
- Mention of the journal name and publication date.
- A link to the published work and the license details.
ShareAlike Terms
Any derivative works based on the original must be distributed under the same license (CC BY-SA).
Open Access
The International Journal of Public Administration and Policy is dedicated to open access, providing free and unrestricted access to all published articles without subscription fees or other access barriers.
Author Warranties
By submitting the manuscript, authors warrant that:
- The work is original and has not been published elsewhere.
- All co-authors consent to publication.
- The work does not infringe on any copyright, trademark, or proprietary rights.
No Additional Restrictions
Authors and readers are not permitted to impose legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
