The synergy between human factors, public digitalization and public administration in the European context

Abstract

Public sector digitalization and human factors are being recognized as key drivers of efficient public administration. To maintain effective public administration, it is imperative for economies to recognize the mediating role of public digitalization in the relationship between human factors and administrative performance. However, the interplay between these elements and their impact on governance efficiency remain underexplored. We draw insights from institutional theory to develop and test a theoretical model to assess the mediating role of public digitalization in the relationship between human factors and public administration. Using a panel dataset of EU27 countries from 2018 to 2023, this study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the direct and indirect effects of human factors, public digitalization, and public administration. The results revealed that human factors have a positive direct relationship with public administration. The findings also show that human factors have a significant positive influence on public digitalization, emphasizing the importance of investing in human capital development. Furthermore, public digitalization is shown to have a direct positive impact on public administration, confirming its role in enhancing efficiency, and citizen-centric service delivery. Notably, public digitalization significantly mediates between human factors and public administration, highlighting its critical role in enhancing administrative processes. This study highlights the importance of investing in employee training and development, integrating human factors into policymaking, and leveraging digital tools for human capital. The successful digital transformation of public administration is not solely a technical challenge but also a sociocultural one, requiring alignment with existing institutional norms, values, and expectations.