Digital Governance And Sustainable Development: The Role Of Public Service Effectiveness In Lombok, Indonesia

Abstract

Digital governance is increasingly viewed as a means of strengthening public services and advancing local sustainable development. This study investigates whether Public Service Effectiveness explains part of the association between Digital Governance and Sustainable Development Outcomes in Lombok, Indonesia. Guided by Public Value Theory, the research applies a quantitative explanatory, cross-sectional design. Data were obtained from 120 citizens in five local-government jurisdictions who had used or interacted with government public services, with respondents selected purposively. The analysis employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) together with bootstrap mediation testing. Digital Governance was found to positively predict Public Service Effectiveness (β = 0.642, p < 0.001). Public Service Effectiveness also showed a positive association with Sustainable Development Outcomes (β = 0.416, p < 0.001), while the direct path from Digital Governance to Sustainable Development Outcomes remained significant (β = 0.246, p = 0.001). The indirect effect through Public Service Effectiveness was significant as well (β = 0.267, p < 0.001), supporting complementary mediation. The model explains 41.2% of the variance in Public Service Effectiveness and 36.5% of the variance in Sustainable Development Outcomes. The evidence suggests that digital governance is more likely to generate sustainable public value when digital capabilities are converted into services that are effective and useful to citizens