Digital transformation and e-government adoption in the public sector: Leveraging technology to improve service delivery and transparency

Full abstract

Read the full abstract

In the digital era, public administrations face the dual challenge of modernizing internal processes while improving citizen services, amid rising expectations for transparency, accountability, and integrity. Citizens demand faster, more accessible, and more transparent services, while pressures to cut costs and boost efficiency intensify. E-government and broader digital transformation thus emerge as strategic levers to address these demands. This study aimed to assess how, and under what conditions, e-government initiatives enhance service delivery and transparency, while identifying mediating factors, including technical, organizational, and political factors. An in-depth qualitative literature review and analysis of secondary data (the UN E-Government Survey, open data indicators, and corruption perception indices) was conducted to explore these dynamics. The study followed the integrative review standards, screening the e-government adoption literature, the United Nations E-Government Survey, global benchmarking reports, and digital government evaluations published between 2010 and 2025, and using thematic coding to ensure replicability and analytic depth. The findings provide practical recommendations for policymakers and administrators to enhance service quality, transparency, and citizen engagement. The study contributes to the growing literature on public sector digitalization by synthesizing key success factors, common obstacles, and emerging trends across diverse national and cultural contexts, offering insights for effective governance in the digital age.