Evaluation of digital transformation process through the Presidential Government System: Digital transformation office

Abstract In today’s world, where we are in the process of information society, especially the development of internet technology and the use of the internet by large masses of people in very wide geographies have brought along a digital transformation not only socially but also administratively. Although the administrative reflections of digital transformation have developed on the basis of the private sector primarily, it is seen that this situation has started to manifest itself in public administration and public administrations have gone into the efforts for adapting to this wave of transformation over time. The implementation of digital transformation in public administration as a whole is essentially carried out with the aim of eliminating some prominent serious problems of public administration and in addition developing the aspects further that are in good condition. As a matter of fact, new business setups are made and strategies are developed with the intention of adapting to digital transformation, so that it becomes possible for institutions to provide services in a more transparent, participatory, accountable, quality, effective and efficient manner and thus to satisfy the target audience they serve. It is seen that different structures have been made in order to adapt to the digital transformation, with the transition to the Presidential government system in Turkey. One of these new structures is Presidency Offices. Among these offices, which provide technical support to public policy making and decision-making activities in different fields, the Presidency Digital Transformation Office has undertaken the task of leading the digital transformation of the public administration. Since its establishment, the Presidency Digital Transformation Office continues to implement many activities and applications and to contribute positively to the digital transformation process in order to fulfil the mission it has undertaken. In this study, which aims to evaluate the digital transformation process through public administration and more specifically the Presidency Digital Transformation Office, digital transformation is discussed conceptually and theoretically, first. In the second Section, the main features of the presidential government system and the innovations it has brought along are emphasized. In the third and last Section, the structure and functioning of the Presidency Digital Transformation Office is explained and its contributions to the digital transformation process are evaluated through the activities and applications that the office has done so far.