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New development: COVID-19 as an accelerator of digital transformation in public service delivery

Author

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  • Deborah Agostino
  • Michela Arnaboldi
  • Melisa Diaz Lema

Abstract

In an unexpected circumstance, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, public service delivery cannot be suspended, but must be delivered online, relying on the available digital technology. Social media, specifically, have been widely used to reach a broader portion of the population. This article discusses the digital acceleration that governments and organizations are now facing. The focus is on Italian state museums, which have been pushed for years to adopt digital tools to increase participation. This article highlights three main dilemmas in service delivery: user engagement; planning and control; and costs. The three dilemmas show the social and organizational challenges connected to digital transformation, underlining the issues that organizations will have to face in the future and not just in an emergency such as COVID-19.How should public sector institutions use digital technologies for service delivery in unexpected circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic? Starting from the empirical setting of 100 Italian state museums, this article shows how digital technologies, and social media particularly, can be a powerful tool for public service delivery when an onsite service cannot be provided. The authors explain the benefits of online service delivery, for example broader audiences and new ways of interacting with users. They also highlight areas that need discussion and further research, for example whether online services should be provided with a fee or free and the trade-off between carefully planning a digital transformation and reacting promptly to catastrophic events.

Suggested Citation

  • Deborah Agostino & Michela Arnaboldi & Melisa Diaz Lema, 2021. "New development: COVID-19 as an accelerator of digital transformation in public service delivery," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 69-72, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:pubmmg:v:41:y:2021:i:1:p:69-72
    DOI: 10.1080/09540962.2020.1764206
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    Cited by:

    1. Luigi Nasta & Luca Pirolo, 2021. "Digital Technologies to Fight the Pandemic Crisis: Evidence from The Vatican Museums," International Journal of Business Research and Management (IJBRM), Computer Science Journals (CSC Journals), vol. 12(4), pages 163-174, August.
    2. Khogali Hind, 2022. "Saudi Vision 2030: Applying a Sustainable Smart Techno-Cultural Assessment Method to Evaluate Museums’ Performance Post-COVID-19," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(3), pages 1-46, May.
    3. Pedro R. Palos-Sánchez & Pedro Baena-Luna & Mercedes García-Ordaz & Francisco J. Martínez-López, 2023. "Digital Transformation and Local Government Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Assessment of Its Impact on the Sustainable Development Goals," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, April.
    4. Elena Bonel & Mauro Capestro & Eleonora Di Maria, 2023. "How COVID-19 impacted cultural consumption: an explorative analysis of Gen Z’s digital museum experiences," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2023(2), pages 135-160, June.
    5. Anca Antoaneta Vărzaru, 2022. "An Empirical Framework for Assessing the Balanced Scorecard Impact on Sustainable Development in Healthcare Performance Measurement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-17, November.
    6. AlNuaimi, Bader K. & Kumar Singh, Sanjay & Ren, Shuang & Budhwar, Pawan & Vorobyev, Dmitriy, 2022. "Mastering digital transformation: The nexus between leadership, agility, and digital strategy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 636-648.
    7. Bernhard Hirsch & Fabienne-Sophie Schäfer & Aleksander Aristovnik & Polonca Kovač & Dejan Ravšelj, 2023. "The impact of Digitalized Communication on the effectiveness of Local Administrative Authorities – Findings from Central European Countries in the COVID-19 Crisis," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 173-192, January.
    8. Barrutia, Jose M. & Echebarria, Carmen, 2021. "Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on public managers’ attitudes toward digital transformation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    9. Jianying Xiao & Lixin Han & Hui Zhang, 2022. "Exploring Driving Factors of Digital Transformation among Local Governments: Foundations for Smart City Construction in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-16, November.
    10. Laura Seinsche & Kristina Schubin & Jana Neumann & Holger Pfaff, 2022. "Employees’ Resources, Demands and Health While Working from Home during COVID-19 Pandemic—A Qualitative Study in the Public Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-22, December.
    11. Aleksander Aristovnik & Polonca Kovač & Eva Murko & Dejan Ravšelj & Lan Umek & Marie Bohatá & Bernhard Hirsch & Fabienne-Sophie Schäfer & Nina Tomaževič, 2021. "The Use of ICT by Local General Administrative Authorities during COVID-19 for a Sustainable Future: Comparing Five European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, October.
    12. Marco Minghini & Alessandro Sarretta & Maurizio Napolitano, 2022. "OpenStreetMap Contribution to Local Data Ecosystems in COVID-19 Times: Experiences and Reflections from the Italian Case," Data, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-21, March.
    13. Olena Liakh, 2021. "Accountability through Sustainability Data Governance: Reconfiguring Reporting to Better Account for the Digital Acceleration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-18, December.
    14. John Levesque & Cédric Dalmasso & Sophie Hooge, 2022. "Understanding the Impacts of Digital Transformation in the Service Industry: the Mutation of the Back-Office Function in the Insurance Sector," Post-Print hal-04068150, HAL.
    15. Ruixin Su & Bojan Obrenovic & Jianguo Du & Danijela Godinic & Akmal Khudaykulov, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic Implications for Corporate Sustainability and Society: A Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-23, January.
    16. Alshurafa, Mohammed & Aboramadan, Mohammed & Haniffa, Roszaini, 2023. "Digital postcolonialism and NGO accountability during COVID-19: Evidence from the Gaza Strip," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(5).
    17. Jin Sung Rha & Hong-Hee Lee, 2022. "Research trends in digital transformation in the service sector: a review based on network text analysis," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(1), pages 77-98, March.
    18. Duo Yang & Jincheng Zhou & Dingpu Shi & Qingna Pan & Dan Wang & Xiaohong Chen & Jiu Liu, 2022. "Research Status, Hotspots, and Evolutionary Trends of Global Digital Education via Knowledge Graph Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-20, November.
    19. Aarthi Raghavan & Mehmet Akif Demircioglu & Serik Orazgaliyev, 2021. "COVID-19 and the New Normal of Organizations and Employees: An Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-19, October.
    20. Frida Betto & Alberto Sardi & Patrizia Garengo & Enrico Sorano, 2022. "The Evolution of Balanced Scorecard in Healthcare: A Systematic Review of Its Design, Implementation, Use, and Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-22, August.
    21. Elvin Shava & Shikha Vyas-Doorgapersad, 2022. "Fostering digital innovations to accelerate service delivery in South African Local Government," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(2), pages 83-91, March.
    22. Nashwan M. A. Saif & Jianping Ruan & Bojan Obrenovic, 2021. "Sustaining Trade during COVID-19 Pandemic: Establishing a Conceptual Model Including COVID-19 Impact," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-20, May.

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