| Abstract [eng] |
The master's thesis analyzes the challenges and opportunities for development of the digitization process of administrative services provided by municipal administrations in the context of public governance. In the modern public sector environment, digitization has become one of the essential factors influencing the improvement of service quality, accessibility, efficiency, and transparency. This process is particularly important in municipal administrations, which is the level of government closest to citizens and provide a wide range of administrative services that address everyday needs. As societal expectations, technological capabilities, and national strategic documents that call for modernization increase, the digitization of municipal administrative services becomes a strategic necessity. An analysis of scientific literature, legal acts, and strategic documents has shown that digitization in the public sector is associated with the principles of the New Public Management paradigm—customer orientation, operational efficiency, transparency, and innovation. However, research also reveals that municipal administrations face a variety of challenges in the digitization process: technological, organizational, legal, financial, and human resource-related challenges. While the issue of digitization is widely examined at both national and international levels, there is still a lack of empirical studies that thoroughly reveal the progress and challenges of digitizing the administrative services processes in specific municipal administrations. The aim of the master's thesis is to examine the situation regarding the digitization process of administrative services provided by the Vilnius and Kaunas district municipal administrations, identify the challenges faced, and explore development opportunities. The study employed a triangulation of methods: analysis of scientific literature, legal acts, and strategic documents, SWOT analysis, case studies, and semi-structured interviews. The qualitative research strategy allowed for a deeper exploration of the specifics of the digitization process, organizational decisions, and practical experiences in municipal administrations. The research results showed that the digitization of administrative services in the Vilnius and Kaunas district municipal administrations varies in its level of maturity, depending on organizational capabilities, employee competencies, management attitudes, financial resources, and the integration of information technology solutions. It was found that digitization contributes to process optimization, increased service accessibility, and enhanced transparency; however, it is hindered by fragmented information systems, a lack of employee competencies, a heavy administrative burden, and insufficient strategic planning. The study identified the main problems of the digital process and highlighted strengths and development opportunities related to process standardization, inter-institutional collaboration, data integration, and a focus on user needs. The results of the master's thesis are significant from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Theoretically, the research contributes to the digitization of the public sector and the development of the New Public Management paradigm at the local government level. Practically, the findings and insights from the study can be applied in municipal administrations to plan and improve the digitization process of administrative services, enhance service quality, efficiency, and transparency, and contribute to the achievement of national digitization goals. |
