Structural and Qualitative Defects in Adaptation to Digital Transformation in Local Governments

Introduction

Digital technologies and digitization have become a common part of daily life for both business and entertainment. It has transformed the way most people interact and communicate, as well as the way many businesses run are with the increase of competitiveness and quality of employment (Okur Dincsoy, 2009). Several significant developments in sectors, which are related with Information and Communication Technology (ICT), were deeply observed that it has a remarkable effect on economic and social activities as much as economic growth for countries. Many development strategies have focused on pursuing plans and policies for promoting a more attractive environment for digital transformation (Okur Dincsoy, 2008). Thanks to this digital transformation, new roles, professions, markets and services have developed. Digital technology and digitization are also expected to solve some of the great challenges of our time, such as the problems associated with an aging population and rising healthcare spending (Peine, 2015). Today, many services are offered electronically quickly, smoothly and cost-effectively. It becomes extremely important for social workers and social workers to know what services are offered on the technological ground so that they can follow current technological developments in the realization of their professional work, be a good technology literate and use their functions as a link-maker, intermediary and resource mobilizer while working with client systems. (Spensberger, 2019).

Municipalities are organizations with a complex structure with a large amount of external demand (Magnusson, 2021). Along with digitalization innovations in the field of society and industry, municipalities also make it necessary to follow these developments and integrate them into these systems (Hanna, 2016). Despite the citizen-oriented and solution-oriented services of municipalities, they need to break the general perception that they are negative and reactionary towards municipalities. One of the best ways to break this perception could be for municipalities to offer digital well-being (Magnusson, 2021). According to the studies on the subject, in order to create maximum value and ensure the transition to smart systems, the municipality should do the existing works in different ways, observe each operation and increase citizen-oriented studies as a part of digitalization. Thus, citizen-oriented satisfaction and service quality can be increased.

Digital Transformation, workflows, management, changes the rules of living in every field from start to finish. Local governments are affected by these changes. The spread of New Information (Digital) and Mobile Technologies is changing the management models and service processes of cities. For this reason, cities such as countries, non-governmental organizations, companies and universities have to find ways of digital transformation by adapting to the Digital Age. It should not be forgotten that the Digital Transformation of a city means that it becomes a Smart City (Satyam, 2017). Administrative activities are indispensable with their responsive role in eliminating the disruptions caused by technological developments in society and should be compatible with daily conditions (Janssen & van der Voort, 2016). Public institutions have been found to have a reduced skill set and limitations for upgrading their IT infrastructure (Dunleavy et al., 2006). Inappropriate managerial understanding can hinder digital transformation (Magnusson, 2021). In the transformation, it can be observed that the central administration, to which all public institutions are affiliated, cannot be organized at a sufficient level for the transformation and that the appropriateness of the infrastructures belonging to this is not determined. Therefore, it is foreseen that many main service applications that the central administration puts into use without adequate testing and work over the network structure created without infrastructure determination may not work properly, and many problems may be encountered, especially in the transport and processing of data. The inability of the personnel working in the local government to integrate into a system with an incomplete infrastructure or to try to maintain their service incompletely in areas that can be integrated may increase the workload and may create passive resistance in transformation.