Governing through Complexity: Resilience and the Hidden Work of Digital Transformation in Barru, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62503/gr.v4i2.117Keywords:
Public Administration Reform, New Public Management, E-Government ServiesAbstract
The escalation of demands for digital transformation have driven the government to integrate technology into public service delivery. However, nationally standardized digital systems are implemented in local contexts characterized by uneven infrastructure, varying human resource capacities, and unequal public access. These conditions create new demands for frontline organizations, particularly when nationally mandated digital requirements must be translated into daily service practices. This study analyzes how Community Health Centers (Puskesmas) in Barru Regency, acting as frontline organizations, adapt to digital transformation and how this adaptation process reflects resilience in local public service delivery. The study employs a qualitative case study approach. The findings reveal that digital transformation does not merely replace existing service mechanisms but also generates additional implementation tasks at the frontline level, including workflow adjustments, data management, technical troubleshooting, user support, and inter-agency coordination. Health centers respond to these demands by combining digital systems with adaptive service practices to maintain service continuity and accessibility. The findings indicate that resilience in digital public service transformation is not primarily reflected by an organization's level of digitalization, but rather by the frontline organization's capacity to absorb and adjust to new implementation demands without disrupting service continuity. This study contributes to the field of resilience governance by shifting the focus from the benefits of digitalization to the distribution of implementation tasks across different levels of government. It also underscores the importance of formulating digital transformation policies that take into account local implementation capacities and the organizational demands placed on frontline public service providers.
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