University of Twente Student Theses
Digital transformation of service provision and institutional trust in local government
Leeuwen, T. van (2023) Digital transformation of service provision and institutional trust in local government.
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| Abstract: | This research focuses on the imposed relationship between digital transformation of service provision and institutional trust in local government. After the recent COVID-19 pandemic, both concepts became even more critical for municipalities. Digital service provision often became, like keeping social distancing, the new standard. In addition, past experience has taught us that it takes time for governments to regain trust following a crisis. Therefore, by focusing on the relationship between digital transformation of service provision and the level of institutional trust in local government, it can be determined whether digital service provision indeed offers room for rebuilding institutional trust in local government. The research on the digital transformation of government is relatively scarce, specifically on a local level, as the perspective of digital transformation is relatively new. Institutional trust in government has been explored more extensively, but also in mainly research in the national application context. Thus, it would be both of societal and scientific relevance to explore the relationship between digital transformation and institutional on a local level. Therefore, the following research question was addressed: What is the relationship between the level of digital transformation of service provision and the level of institutional trust of citizens in their local government in Dutch municipalities? Quantitative data analysis was performed to determine if a relationship between digital transformation of service provision and institutional trust in local government via the proposed mediator variable satisfaction with service delivery is present. Quantitative after-measurements through interviews with six municipalities about the digital transformation of their report public space processes were conducted for the variable of digital transformation of service provision. The study found no direct or indirect relationship between the level of digital transformation of service provision and the level of institutional trust in local government. The study did find a positive effect of the satisfaction level with service delivery on the level of institutional trust. Therefore, it must be concluded that the digital transformation of service delivery is no panacea for (re)building trust in local government. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 88 social and public administration |
| Programme: | Public Administration MSc (60020) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/94736 |
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