Trust and Digital Transformation in the Public Sector

Book excerpt: Digital transformation is a promising way to increase the possibilities and effectiveness of public organizations, but the implementation of digital technologies alone does not bring value. It is vital to convince and motivate people to use new ways of public services delivery and it is necessary to trust both public institutions and new technologies. Digital trust is considered a key determinant of acceptance of digital technologies, leading to their effective use and creation of innovative solutions. However, little is known about creating and using trust as a driving force of digital transformation. In this approach, trust is not only a motivating factor to use digital technologies but also a trigger for changes in the action strategy. In this book, trust is analyzed from this perspective. The authors present the importance of digital trust, as well as its evolving nature manifested along with the progress of digital transformation. Offering both theoretical and practical insights, this volume will add value to trust theory and digital governance theory by indicating the importance of organizational trust and the ways of its use in the development of public service delivery processes and performance based on digital transformation. It will be of interest to researchers, academics, professionals, and advanced students in the fields of public management, innovation, ethics, and organizational studies.