The Art of Digital Governance

This book explores the evolution and transformative potential of digital governance amid the ongoing technological revolution in the public sector. It examines how digital platforms and artificial intelligence systems reshape governance structures, transform public administration, and impact democratic processes across diverse institutional and contextual settings. By clarifying critical theoretical and practical debates, this volume synthesizes previously fragmented insights across the intersecting fields of public administration, public policy, and information technology studies. Bringing together diverse perspectives and international case studies from developed, developing, and underdeveloped contexts, the chapters illuminate both the current state and future trajectories of digital governance. The contributions offer actionable and forward-looking strategies that chart pathways toward sustainable and resilient governance. Additionally, the volume highlights the global diffusion of collaborative and innovative digital practices, making the transformative potential of digital governance accessible and impactful in our changing environments. Reflecting the complexity inherent in digital platforms and AI-driven transformations, the volume consistently underscores that effective governance frameworks must remain adaptive, inclusive, and deeply rooted in collaborative processes bridging technology, institutions, and society.

Younhee Kim is an Associate Professor of Public Administration in the School of Public Affairs at Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg. Her research centers on public and performance management, with particular expertise in performance measurement, governmental reform and innovation, digital governance, information technology policy, data-driven administration, and citizen participation. A highly regarded scholar in her field, Dr. Kim has published extensively in leading journals, contributed chapters to edited volumes, co-authored a book, and produced government-funded research reports. She has demonstrated substantial and sustained editorial leadership across a range of high-level roles, including serving as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Policy Studies, Guest Editor for Public Performance & Management Review, and Co-Guest Editor for journals such as Public Organization Review, Smart Cities, Sustainability, and the International Journal of Public Administration. She also has served on the editorial boards of several respected academic journals and scholarly publications. Dr. Kim has held visiting appointments at academic and research institutions in South Korea and China. She is a faculty affiliate of the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence and the Social Science Research Institute, both at Pennsylvania State University. In addition to her scholarship, Dr. Kim actively engages in national and international professional service. She has held leadership positions in major professional associations and academic conferences, including serving as Section Chair, Co-Chair of an international conference, Co-Chair of an internation symposium, and Executive Board Member. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Administration from Rutgers University–Newark.  

Michael J. Ahn is an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Massachusetts Boston, specializing in digital governance, artificial intelligence (AI), and public administration. His research examines AI’s transformative effects on governance, the future of work, and societal ethics, advocating policies such as a “robot tax” to address AI-driven economic disruptions. Dr. Ahn has published in leading journals, including Public Administration Review and Government Information Quarterly, and influential platforms such as the Brookings Institution. He has served prominently in leadership roles within the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), including as a National Council member, Chair of the Section on Science and Technology in Government, and President of the Massachusetts Chapter. Dr. Ahn’s scholarship emphasizes ethical principles guiding AI’s application in public service to promote societal well-being and mitigate potential harms. He holds a Ph.D. and MPA from Syracuse University and a B.S. from the University of Oregon.