Open research questions in E-Government and Public Services

What the literature leaves open

• Existing studies on e-government adoption primarily focus on technological infrastructure, efficiency, and policy implementation, often neglecting sustainability dimensions. There is limited research on the role of socio-economic disparities, digital literacy gaps, and institutional trust in shaping citizens' adoption of e-government services. The role of structural inequalities in shaping digital inclusion policies remains underexplored.

  Digital Transformation and Social Inclusion in Public Services: A Qualitative Analysis of E-Government Adoption for Marginalized Communities in Sustainable Governance · 2025 · DOI

• Purpose Social media are increasingly used by local governments (LGs) to enhance transparency and public accountability, yet limited evidence exists on the role of emerging platforms and on how political leadership shapes their adoption.

  Digital dialogue and transparency: mayoral characteristics and the use of Threads in Italian local governments · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should explore mixed-method approaches and comparative analyses across different socio-economic contexts to refine strategies for digital inclusion.

  Digital Transformation and Social Inclusion in Public Services: A Qualitative Analysis of E-Government Adoption for Marginalized Communities in Sustainable Governance · 2025 · DOI

• Although several studies have analysed the effect of digital governance on total carbon emissions, the relationship between digital governance and carbon emission intensity remains poorly understood.

  Digital governance and the low-carbon transition: evidence from double machine learning · 2025 · DOI

• In particular, the long-term relationship between China’s digital governance and low-carbon remains unclear.

  Digital governance and the low-carbon transition: evidence from double machine learning · 2025 · DOI

• To fill this gap in the research, this study applies the MSF to the case of climate adaptation policy making in the Massachusetts State Legislature.

  Testing the Multiple Streams Framework in US state legislatures · 2024 · DOI

• Arrow, ' Limited knowledge and econom ic analysis', American Economic Review, 64, I, 1974, p.

  EXAMINING THE IMPLICATIONS OF CHANGING INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION STRUCTURES: THE UK PICT · 1987 · DOI

• The lack of adequate internet connectivity in rural areas. The limited availability of existing devices that can support the system implementation. The need for an integrated public information system that can improve the efficiency, accessibility, and timeliness of public information dissemination in rural areas.

  Integration of Website, RSS Feed, and Digital Signage to Support Public Information Relay Between Villages in Nusalaut District · 2026 · DOI

• Many rural areas still rely on conventional information media such as bulletin boards and printed announcements, which are inefficient and difficult to update. There is a need for an integrated public information system that can improve the efficiency, accessibility, and timeliness of public information dissemination in rural areas.

  Integration of Website, RSS Feed, and Digital Signage to Support Public Information Relay Between Villages in Nusalaut District · 2026 · DOI

• To explore socio-cultural dynamics and comparative sectoral impacts to refine best practices for equitable digital transformation. To investigate the long-term impact of e-government adoption on government practices and public service delivery.

  Streamlining Governance: Digital Documentation and E-Government for Efficient Public Service Delivery · 2026 · DOI

• The need for a comprehensive evaluation of digital transformation initiatives in public service delivery. The gap in current research on the impact of digitalization on administrative efficiency, transparency, and citizen engagement.

  Streamlining Governance: Digital Documentation and E-Government for Efficient Public Service Delivery · 2026 · DOI

• The integration of artificial intelligence into public sector operations. The need for public servants to develop soft skills, such as communication, emotional intelligence, ethical reasoning, flexibility and cooperative problem-solving.

  Importance of moral public service delivery in the age of artificial intelligence · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should investigate the impact of moral public service delivery on public trust and ethical governance. Studies should examine the role of soft skills in facilitating human-AI collaboration and promoting a positive organisational culture.

  Importance of moral public service delivery in the age of artificial intelligence · 2026 · DOI

• Weak system integration and insufficient coordination among stakeholders. Limited community participation in data updating. Technical constraints of SIPEDULI.

  Collaborative Governance and New Public Service in Realizing a Single Source of Truth: Evidence from the SIPEDULI and JSDDD Programs in Jembrana Regency · 2026 · DOI

• The study does not provide a comprehensive analysis of the technical constraints of SIPEDULI. The research is limited to the context of Jembrana Regency, and the findings may not be generalizable to other regions.

  Collaborative Governance and New Public Service in Realizing a Single Source of Truth: Evidence from the SIPEDULI and JSDDD Programs in Jembrana Regency · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of human capital and accumulated knowledge as obstacles to digital transformation. The challenge of evaluating digital government performance across multiple countries. The need for a comprehensive framework for evaluating digital government performance.

  Analysing Digital Government Performance Indicators Using a Clustering Technique-Embedded Fuzzy Decision-Making Framework · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a research gap in the absence of a systematic conceptual model that integrates national data, Information Systems, and Artificial Intelligence into a unified model for public policy support. The study highlights the limitations of existing research in addressing the challenges of data fragmentation and limited analytical capabilities.

  An AI-Driven Policy Intelligence Framework for Transforming National Data into Evidence-Based Public Policy · 2026 · DOI

• visualization helps to reinforce the argument that integrating AI into information systems of Jurnal Penelitian Sains Teknologi | p-ISSN: 1411-5174; e-ISSN: 2830-067X Vol. 2, No. 2, September 2026 | pp. 128-148 143 An AI-Driven Policy Intelligence Framework for Transforming National Data into Evidence … can significantly enhance the effectiveness of public policymaking.

  An AI-Driven Policy Intelligence Framework for Transforming National Data into Evidence-Based Public Policy · 2026 · DOI

• The government’s objectives in providing digital public services do not match the actual user experience, which reflects low adoption, limited functionality, and user dissatisfaction. There is a gap between the expected and actual benefits of e-government applications.

  Information System Success Model for the Evaluation of E-Government Applications in the Public Sector (Case Study: Whole App – Bandung Super App) · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should focus on developing cohesive strategies to support digital transformation. Future research should investigate the impact of digital transformation on public services in different countries and contexts. Future research should explore the challenges and limitations of digital transformation in public services.

  Public Service Innovation Based on Digital Transformation as an Effort to Realize Smart Governance · 2026 · DOI

• There is a need for cohesive strategies that include investment in technology, development of human resources, and regulatory assistance. The digital divide is a significant obstacle to overcome. Insufficient infrastructure is a challenge.

  Public Service Innovation Based on Digital Transformation as an Effort to Realize Smart Governance · 2026 · DOI

• Technical challenges, such as differences in data standards and metadata, hinder SIMATA integration. Institutional challenges, such as asymmetry of technical and semantic standards between institutions, also hinder SIMATA integration. The study highlights the need for more effective governance instruments to address these challenges.

  Public Innovation Governance in Regional Data Integration: An Analysis of the Simata Policy in South Sumatra · 2026 · DOI

• Future research can apply the Public Innovation Governance model to other regional data integration initiatives. Further studies can explore the impact of SIMATA implementation on public services and governance outcomes.

  Public Innovation Governance in Regional Data Integration: An Analysis of the Simata Policy in South Sumatra · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in the existing research on the impact of digital government construction on the public's sense of gain. The study aims to fill this gap by exploring the mechanism of digital government construction's impact on the public's sense of gain.

  Study on the Mechanism of Enhancing Public Access to Digital Government Construction--Sociological Interpretation of Law Based on Empirical Evidence · 2026 · DOI

• Digital inequality - Infrastructure fragmentation - Interoperability limitations - Weak institutional coordination - Cybersecurity risks - Regulatory gaps - Uneven citizen participation

  Applications of digital governance in public administration: A systematic review of Southeast Asian studies · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in E-Government and Public Services

• Using ICTs to create a culture of transparency: E-government and social media as openness and anti-corruption tools for societies · Government Information Quarterly · 2010 · 1,614 citations
• Developing fully functional E-government: A four stage model · Government Information Quarterly · 2001 · 1,587 citations
• Defining digital transformation: Results from expert interviews · Government Information Quarterly · 2019 · 1,510 citations
• The Evolution of E‐Government among Municipalities: Rhetoric or Reality? · Public Administration Review · 2002 · 1,230 citations
• From e-government to we-government: Defining a typology for citizen coproduction in the age of social media · Government Information Quarterly · 2012 · 1,023 citations
• E‐Government and the Transformation of Service Delivery and Citizen Attitudes · Public Administration Review · 2004 · 946 citations
• Putting the Public Back into Governance: The Challenges of Citizen Participation and Its Future · Public Administration Review · 2015 · 917 citations
• Public Participation Geographic Information Systems: A Literature Review and Framework · Annals of the Association of American Geographers · 2006 · 911 citations
• Information Systems and Developing Countries: Failure, Success, and Local Improvisations · The Information Society · 2002 · 809 citations
• Mapping the challenges of Artificial Intelligence in the public sector: Evidence from public healthcare · Government Information Quarterly · 2018 · 790 citations

Most recent work

• E-Government and Public Trust in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda · International Journal of Public Administration · 2026
• Bluer rural skies through digital government transformation: Evidence from a mixed methods study · Journal of Rural Studies · 2026
• Managing open strategy in public-private sector business model innovation: Closing to open and opening to close as intertemporal dualities · Long Range Planning · 2026
• Population and Civil Registration as the Spearhead of Inclusive and Effective Domestic Governance · Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies · 2026
• Effective use of open data portals for social good: Design principles for explainable LLM-based open data assistants · Decision Support Systems · 2026
• Governing the Local Digital Transformation: A European Comparative Perspective · Public Administration · 2026
• The role of digital post systems in transforming public administration: A digital infrastructure perspective · Government Information Quarterly · 2026
• The E-Participation Paradox: Varying Effects on Government Trust in an Era of Democratic Fatigue · Government Information Quarterly · 2026
• Governing digital government platforms for service innovation: A staged governance model based on boundary resources and coordination activities · Government Information Quarterly · 2026
• Beyond technology: Exploring public value creation mechanisms and outcomes in platform-to-government data sharing · Government Information Quarterly · 2026

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