What is it about?
Digital technology is increasingly used by governments to improve the delivery of public services to citizens. This study examines how digital innovations in public services are being implemented in West Java Province (Indonesia) and compares them with experiences in South Korea and Mexico. Rather than focusing solely on technology, the article examines how digital tools help governments become more efficient, transparent, and responsive to citizens’ needs. It explores practical examples such as online service platforms, digital licensing systems, and integrated public service applications, and considers how these tools are used in different administrative and institutional contexts. The findings show that digital innovation can significantly improve service delivery when supported by strong leadership, clear regulations, and effective coordination across government agencies. South Korea demonstrates the benefits of long-term digital planning and strong institutional capacity, while Mexico highlights the importance of integrating digital services with administrative reforms. West Java shows promising progress, particularly in expanding access to services, but continues to face challenges related to coordination, capacity, and unequal digital access. Overall, the study suggests that successful digital public services depend not only on technology, but also on governance, institutional readiness, and user-centered design. The lessons from this comparative analysis can help governments design digital services that are more inclusive, reliable, and responsive to citizens.
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Why is it important?
Governments worldwide are using digital technologies to improve the delivery of public services to citizens. This article examines digital innovation in public service delivery in West Java Province, Indonesia, and compares it with experiences in South Korea and Mexico. What makes this article unique is its comparative focus on governance and implementation, rather than technology alone. Rather than asking which digital tools are most advanced, the study examines how different governments organize, manage, and sustain digital services across diverse institutional contexts. By comparing a subnational government (West Java) with national-level experiences in South Korea and Mexico, the article offers practical lessons that are rarely discussed in the digital government literature. The article is also timely. Governments are accelerating digital transformation in response to rising public expectations, post-pandemic service demands, and growing concerns about transparency and efficiency. At the same time, many digital initiatives fail due to poor coordination, limited capacity, or unequal access. This study addresses these challenges directly. The findings show that successful digital public services depend on strong leadership, institutional readiness, coordination across agencies, and user-centered design. By highlighting what works—and what does not—this article provides valuable insights for policymakers, public administrators, and researchers seeking to design more inclusive, effective, and sustainable digital government reforms.
Perspectives
I was motivated to work on this article because I have observed how quickly governments adopt digital tools, often with high expectations but mixed results. In many cases, digital innovation is treated as a technical solution, while the governance and institutional challenges behind implementation receive far less attention. This gap prompted me to examine more closely how digital public services function in practice. Comparing West Java with South Korea and Mexico enabled me to move beyond a single-country perspective and better understand the conditions that support successful digital transformation. What stood out to me during this research was that technology itself is rarely the main obstacle. Instead, leadership, coordination across agencies, regulatory clarity, and attention to users’ needs play a decisive role. I was particularly interested in West Java’s experience as a subnational government. It shows both the potential and the limits of digital innovation when institutional capacity and coordination are uneven. The comparisons helped highlight realistic, practical lessons that other regions can learn from, rather than idealized models. Personally, I hope this publication encourages policymakers and public administrators to approach digital transformation more thoughtfully—not as a quick fix, but as a long-term governance reform. My intention is that this work contributes to more inclusive, sustainable, and citizen-centered digital public services, especially in developing and middle-income countries.
Associate Professor Septiana Dwiputrianti
STIA LAN Bandung
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Assessing Digital Innovations in Public Service Delivery of West Java Province versus South Korea and Mexico, Administratio Jurnal Ilmiah Administrasi Publik dan Pembangunan, June 2025, Universitas Lampung,
DOI: 10.23960/administratio.v16i1.476.
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