Resumen de Identifying barriers in public sector digital transformation: A case study in indonesia city office for population administration and civil registration (copacr) context
Agus Imam Sonhaji
, Maria Anityasari, Mahendrawathi ER
Purpose: This paper presents a case study of the Surabaya City Office for Population Administration and Civil Registration (COPACR), which is currently undergoing digitization and digital transformation across all its civil registration service lines. This research identifies internal and external barriers relevant to digital transformation in the context of Surabaya COPACR.
Theoretical Framework: This study combines qualitative and quantitative methods to identify internal and external barriers relevant to the implementation of digital transformation in the COPACR sector. The barriers are validated through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Expert Choice tools. Priority barriers are determined based on the highest relevance weight values from the perspectives of Top Management and Field Officers.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This research adopts an action research methodology, leveraging the researcher's position within the system to directly intervene and facilitate change. A mixed-method approach is employed, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Twenty literature sources are utilized to identify internal and external barriers within public sectors to adopt digital transformation. A total of 63 barriers (33 internal and 30 external) are categorized and their relevance tested through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Barrier priorities are selected using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and expert choice tools.
Findings: The Surabaya COPACR in developing countries exhibits characteristics such as low employee motivation, inadequate officer competency, rigid bureaucratic structures, and limited innovation. With these conditions, the internal priorities for adopting digital transformation in Surabaya COPACR include lack of political support, traditional bureaucracy, organizational complexity, and lack of competency. External barriers include inflexible regulations, bureaucracy, lack of data standardization, and inadequate funding allocation.
Research, Practical & Social Implications: This research contributes theoretical insights into internal and external priority barriers that need to be considered to adopt digital transformation in the COPACR context of developing countries. The identified barriers can serve as references for public sectors with similar organizational characteristics in developing countries to design strategies for adopting digital transformation effectively.
Originality/Value: This study identifies internal and external barriers to digital transformation in the Surabaya COPACR context, involving assessments from both strategic (Top Management) and technical (Field Officer) perspectives.
