Digital Transformation of Public Service Delivery: An Institutional Logics Perspective

Originating in the private sector, digital transformation has been heralded by governments as an inevitable and desirable path for citizens to thrive in the digital age. Digital transformation efforts are increasingly leading to public services being delivered as ‘digital first’ or ‘digital by default’. However, such an approach may have unintended consequences and risk excluding some members of society who are unable or unwilling to interact digitally with government. We use the concept of institutional logics to critically analyse the dominant discourse of digital transformation in the New Zealand public sector. In doing so, we unpack the logic underpinning government digital transformation initiatives that are driving the digital delivery of public services in many countries, including the UK. We identify five organising principles that collectively characterise the digital first institutional logic we observe in the digitalisation of public service delivery: values, norms, assumptions, focus of attention, and view of digital.