IT’s Moderating Role in Asset Management, Service Innovation, Competency, and Public Service Quality

This study examines the effect of asset management, service innovation, and competency on the quality of public services, with information technology (IT) as a moderating variable, within Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) in West Sulawesi Province. A quantitative approach was employed, using structured questionnaires distributed to 123 respondents across 41 OPDs. Validity and reliability tests confirmed that all 22 measurement items were statistically sound, while regression analysis was used to test both direct and moderated relationships. The findings reveal that asset management, service innovation, and competency each have significant positive effects on service quality, with competency identified as the most influential factor. Moreover, IT utilization not only exerts a direct positive effect on service quality but also strengthens the relationship between asset management and service quality as well as between service innovation and service quality. Although the moderating effect of IT on the competency–service quality relationship was weaker and only marginally significant, the overall model explanatory power increased from 62% to 72% when IT utilization was included. These results highlight the complementary role of governance practices, civil servant capacity, and digital transformation in enhancing the quality of public services. The study provides strategic insights for local governments, emphasizing the need for integrated investments in asset governance, innovation, competency development, and IT infrastructure to foster efficient, transparent, and citizen-centered services.