Organizational Readiness for Digital Government Transformation: A Case Study of Khon Kaen Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office

Abstract

The Thai government aims to drive bureaucratic reform based on the digital government concept, which requires regional government agencies to adapt mechanisms for implementing central policies into local operations. This research aims to study the organizational readiness for digital government transformation of the Khon Kaen Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security (K-OSDHS). The objectives are to: 1) study organizational readiness for digital government transformation; 2) investigate problems and obstacles in implementation; and 3) explore guidelines for resolving these issues. The researcher collected data through interviews with 17 personnel from K-OSDHS and employed content analysis to synthesize qualitative data. Research findings reveal that K-OSDHS exhibits a high level of organizational readiness for digital government transformation in the areas of Policies & Practices, Public Services, Data-driven Practices, Smart Back Office, and Digital Capability of government officials. Problems and obstacles in implementation include administrative regulations that do not facilitate paperless transactions, a digital skill gap among personnel due to generational differences, fragmented database systems resulting from redundant data entry, and outdated hardware infrastructure affecting processing efficiency. Policy recommendations include: formulating digital policies based on unified local needs; establishing data standards for public relations that align with social work professional ethics; reducing the generational digital skill gap through knowledge management; recruiting permanent digital technology personnel with specialized expertise; and allocating budgets for new, efficient hardware to further support the transition into a digital organization.