Digital Transformation in Religious Public Administration: Policy Innovation for Inclusive Services
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61860/amuya.v2i2.119Keywords:
Digital Transformation, Inclusive Services, Institutional Coordination, Policy Innovation, Religious Public AdministrationAbstract
Digital transformation can expand access to public services, yet fragmented administrative responsibilities and unequal digital capabilities may prevent users from benefiting from these changes. This study examines how policy innovation can connect institutional coordination and responsiveness to diverse user needs to support inclusive services in religious public administration. Adopting an interpretive approach, the study employs qualitative conceptual synthesis of theoretical contributions and published empirical research selected for their conceptual and substantive relevance. Analysis involves repeated reading, thematic interpretation, and comparison of concepts and arguments, guided by collaborative governance and public service logic. The synthesis indicates that policy innovation can support coordination by clarifying responsibilities, aligning procedures, and establishing arrangements for resolving problems across administrative units. Alongside these organizational arrangements, responsiveness requires attention to users’ ability to complete service processes and their opportunities to influence service decisions through accessible participation and appropriate assistance. Bringing these dimensions together suggests that identified barriers can inform procedural adjustment when connected to institutions with the authority and capacity to respond. Moreover, experiences of unsuccessful access provide relevant input for policy revision alongside feedback from users who complete services. The study proposes a conceptual model linking organizational capacity with user inclusion and offers guidance for reviewing service responsibilities, participation arrangements, and support mechanisms. These relationships remain propositions for empirical examination within public institutions administering religious affairs.
Downloads
References
Agostino, D., Saliterer, I., & Steccolini, I. (2022). Digitalization, accounting and accountability: A literature review and reflections on future research in public services. Financial Accountability & Management, 38(2), 152–176. https://doi.org/10.1111/faam.12301
Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2008). Collaborative governance in theory and practice. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(4), 543–571. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mum032
Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2018). Collaborative platforms as a governance strategy. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 28(1), 16–32. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mux030
Bekkers, V., & Tummers, L. (2018). Innovation in the public sector: Towards an open and collaborative approach. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 84(2), 209–213. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852318761797
Boell, S. K., & Cecez-Kecmanovic, D. (2014). A hermeneutic approach for conducting literature reviews and literature searches. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 34, 257–286. https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.03412
Bonina, C., Koskinen, K., Eaton, B., & Gawer, A. (2021). Digital platforms for development: Foundations and research agenda. Information Systems Journal, 31(6), 869–902. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12326
Campbell, H. A., & Evolvi, G. (2020). Contextualizing current digital religion research on emerging technologies. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(1), 5–17. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.149
Cordella, A., & Paletti, A. (2019). Government as a platform, orchestration, and public value creation: The Italian case. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), Article 101409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.101409
de Vries, H., Tummers, L., & Bekkers, V. (2018). The diffusion and adoption of public sector innovations: A meta-synthesis of the literature. Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, 1(3), 159–176. https://doi.org/10.1093/ppmgov/gvy001
Djatmiko, G. H., Sinaga, O., & Pawirosumarto, S. (2025). Digital transformation and social inclusion in public services: A qualitative analysis of e-government adoption for marginalized communities in sustainable governance. Sustainability, 17(7), Article 2908. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17072908
Dunleavy, P., Margetts, H., Bastow, S., & Tinkler, J. (2006). New public management is dead—Long live digital-era governance. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 16(3), 467–494. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mui057
Emerson, K., Nabatchi, T., & Balogh, S. (2012). An integrative framework for collaborative governance. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 22(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mur011
Giest, S., & Samuels, A. (2023). Administrative burden in digital public service delivery: The social infrastructure of library programs for e-inclusion. Review of Policy Research, 40(5), 626–645. https://doi.org/10.1111/ropr.12516
Gong, Y., & Li, X. (2023). Designing boundary resources in digital government platforms for collaborative service innovation. Government Information Quarterly, 40(1), Article 101777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2022.101777
Grossi, G., & Argento, D. (2022). The fate of accounting for public governance development. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(9), 272–303. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-11-2020-5001
Hanelt, A., Bohnsack, R., Marz, D., & Antunes Marante, C. (2021). A systematic review of the literature on digital transformation: Insights and implications for strategy and organizational change. Journal of Management Studies, 58(5), 1159–1197. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12639
Hartley, J., Sørensen, E., & Torfing, J. (2013). Collaborative innovation: A viable alternative to market competition and organizational entrepreneurship. Public Administration Review, 73(6), 821–830. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12136
Harvey, M., Hastings, D. P., & Chowdhury, G. (2023). Understanding the costs and challenges of the digital divide through UK council services. Journal of Information Science, 49(5), 1153–1167. https://doi.org/10.1177/01655515211040664
Haug, N., Dan, S., & Mergel, I. (2024). Digitally-induced change in the public sector: A systematic review and research agenda. Public Management Review, 26(7), 1963–1987. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2023.2234917
Izquierdo-Iranzo, P. (2025). Use of digital tools in the religious and spiritual sphere: Impact and barrier analysis. Religions, 16(6), Article 772. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16060772
Jaakkola, E. (2020). Designing conceptual articles: Four approaches. AMS Review, 10, 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13162-020-00161-0
Janowski, T., Estevez, E., & Baguma, R. (2018). Platform governance for sustainable development: Reshaping citizen-administration relationships in the digital age. Government Information Quarterly, 35(4), S1–S16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2018.09.002
Larsson, K. K. (2021). Digitization or equality: When government automation covers some, but not all citizens. Government Information Quarterly, 38(1), Article 101547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2020.101547
Latupeirissa, J. J. P., Dewi, N. L. Y., Prayana, I. K. R., Srikandi, M. B., Ramadiansyah, S. A., & Pramana, I. B. G. A. Y. (2024). Transforming public service delivery: A comprehensive review of digitization initiatives. Sustainability, 16(7), Article 2818. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072818
Lember, V., Brandsen, T., & Tõnurist, P. (2019). The potential impacts of digital technologies on co-production and co-creation. Public Management Review, 21(11), 1665–1686. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2019.1619807
Lindgren, I., Madsen, C. Ø., Hofmann, S., & Melin, U. (2019). Close encounters of the digital kind: A research agenda for the digitalization of public services. Government Information Quarterly, 36(3), 427–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.03.002
Madsen, C. Ø., Lindgren, I., & Melin, U. (2022). The accidental caseworker—How digital self-service influences citizens’ administrative burden. Government Information Quarterly, 39(1), Article 101653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101653
Mergel, I. (2019). Digital service teams in government. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), Article 101389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.07.001
Mergel, I., Edelmann, N., & Haug, N. (2019). Defining digital transformation: Results from expert interviews. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), Article 101385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.06.002
Morte-Nadal, T., & Esteban-Navarro, M. Á. (2025). Recommendations for digital inclusion in the use of European digital public services. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, Article 273. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04576-7
Osborne, S. P. (2018). From public service-dominant logic to public service logic: Are public service organizations capable of co-production and value co-creation? Public Management Review, 20(2), 225–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2017.1350461
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
Osborne, S. P., Powell, M., Cui, T., & Strokosch, K. (2022). Value creation in the public service ecosystem: An integrative framework. Public Administration Review, 82(4), 634–645. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13474
Panagiotopoulos, P., Klievink, B., & Cordella, A. (2019). Public value creation in digital government. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), Article 101421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.101421
Perikangas, S., & Tuurnas, S. (2024). Design for inclusive digital co-production. Public Management Review, 26(6), 1731–1751. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2023.2224819
Raihan, M. M. H., Subroto, S., Chowdhury, N., Koch, K., Ruttan, E., & Turin, T. C. (2025). Dimensions and barriers for digital (in)equity and digital divide: A systematic integrative review. Digital Transformation and Society, 4(2), 111–127. https://doi.org/10.1108/DTS-04-2024-0054
Scheerder, A., van Deursen, A., & van Dijk, J. (2017). Determinants of Internet skills, uses and outcomes. A systematic review of the second- and third-level digital divide. Telematics and Informatics, 34(8), 1607–1624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2017.07.007
Scupola, A., & Mergel, I. (2022). Co-production in digital transformation of public administration and public value creation: The case of Denmark. Government Information Quarterly, 39(1), Article 101650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101650
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Strokosch, K., & Osborne, S. P. (2020). Co-experience, co-production and co-governance: An ecosystem approach to the analysis of value creation. Policy & Politics, 48(3), 425–442. https://doi.org/10.1332/030557320X15857337955214
Sørensen, E., & Torfing, J. (2011). Enhancing collaborative innovation in the public sector. Administration & Society, 43(8), 842–868. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095399711418768
Tangi, L., Janssen, M., Benedetti, M., & Noci, G. (2021). Digital government transformation: A structural equation modelling analysis of driving and impeding factors. International Journal of Information Management, 60, Article 102356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102356
Twizeyimana, J. D., & Andersson, A. (2019). The public value of e-government—A literature review. Government Information Quarterly, 36(2), 167–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.01.001
van Deursen, A. J. A. M., & van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2019). The first-level digital divide shifts from inequalities in physical access to inequalities in material access. New Media & Society, 21(2), 354–375. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818797082
van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2006). Digital divide research, achievements and shortcomings. Poetics, 34(4–5), 221–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2006.05.004
Vial, G. (2019). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28(2), 118–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2019.01.003
Zhuang, Y., Yang, D., & Han, Q. (2025). Technological transformation and digital inclusion: A scoping review of marginalized groups’ access to and experience with ICT-driven public services in smart urbanism. Sustainable Cities and Society, 134, Article 106899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2025.106899
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 M. Isroul Laili, Yayah Dwi Hayatun, Singh Dhepa Manggala
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
