JPART — 2026-09-14
Original Cross-Source Corroboration and the Dynamics of Local Government Attention: Evidence from an Emerging Policy Field
Yingxin Zhang, Yixue Yao, Kaifeng Yang
JPART — 2026-09-09
Original Institutional Conversion and Digital Transformation in Local Governments: A Longitudinal Analysis of Trajectories
Adalmir de Oliveira Gomes
Abstract
Abstract This article asks a central question in digital government research: why do local governments operating under similar institutional conditions follow sharply different digital transformation trajectories over time? Drawing on theories of gradual institutional change, the study conceptualizes digital transformation not as a discrete adoption outcome, but as a process of institutional conversion through which technological capacity is translated into sustained digital service provision. Information governance is theorized as the key conditioning mechanism linking technological resources to durable organizational outcomes. The analysis combines longitudinal panel models, fixed-effects estimators, and trajectory-based clustering using a panel of all Brazilian municipalities (MUNIC/IBGE; N = 5,569) across seven waves between 2004 and 2024. Results show that increases in technological capacity are associated with subsequent gains in digital services, but these effects are gradual and conditional. Information governance significantly shapes how municipalities mobilize and stabilize technological resources over time, while interaction models reveal non-linear and diminishing returns consistent with institutional coordination limits. Trajectory analyses identify four distinct patterns of digital transformation, ranging from ‘institutionalized pioneers’ to ‘persistent stagnation’, demonstrating that digital development unfolds through path-dependent and institutionally anchored trajectories rather than through simple convergence. The article contributes to public administration research in three ways: provides rare longitudinal evidence on local digital transformation over two decades; integrates institutional change theory into digital government research by conceptualizing governance as a mechanism of institutional conversion; and advances a trajectory-based explanation of digital transformation that shifts attention from episodic technological adoption to cumulative institutional processes shaping long-run administrative performance.
PA — 2026-09-07
Original How Artificial Intelligence Facilitates Collaborative Governance? Research on Mechanisms and Multi‐Dimensional Effects Based on Triple Entities
PAR — 2026-09-01
Original Increasing Equitable Access in Public Service: A Descriptive Study About Accessible Materials
Michelle Allgood
Abstract
ABSTRACT As the digital footprint of public service expands, the need for accessible materials for individuals with disabilities grows. Public servants must consider accessibility in the creation of all materials, from websites to PDFs to audio and visual media. However, research around accessible material creation in public service has been limited. This study uses data from a 2024 survey of MPA alumni from five universities to identify their familiarity with accessible material creation, including their awareness of their own organization's policies, processes, and training. The findings reveal that respondent awareness of their own organization's practices was correlated with higher familiarity in generating accessible materials. However, many respondents did not know about their organization's practices, identifying the need for increased dialogue about this essential element of social equity and inclusion. As such, suggestions for organizations to improve their practices around accessible material creation along with ideas for continued research are shared.
PA — 2026-08-06
Original Institutional Pressures or Organizational Capacity? Antecedents of Digital Maturity in Local Governments
Sarah Van Impe, Lieselot Danneels, Ben Suykens
Abstract
ABSTRACT Public administration research has identified institutional pressures and organizational capacity as digital maturity (DM) antecedents, yet these are typically considered in isolation. Taking the proverbial next step, this study draws on primary survey data to explain the variation of DM among local governments in Flanders (the northern region of Belgium) by juxtaposing the explanatory power of institutional pressures on the one hand, and political and administrative capacity on the other hand. Using multiple regression analyses, our findings highlight the critical role of administrative capacity in advancing DM among local governments. In contrast, and somewhat surprisingly, political capacity and institutional pressures appear to play a more limited role. These findings challenge conventional assumptions in existing literature, indicating that institutional pressures may catalyze the initial stages of DT, whereas organizational capacity seems to be more influential in sustaining and advancing DM.
PMR — pp. 1-25 2026-06-30 Original Interagency collaboration, broker organization, and bureaucratic responsiveness: how public agencies fix complex citizen requests on digital government platforms?
Yao Liu, Wenting Yang