Soft TQM Elements for Digital Transformation in the Public Sector

Abstract

The digital transformation of the public sector requires not only advanced modern technology but also good strategy and effective use of human factors. Additionally, quality management plays a crucial role in improving the performance and service quality of government organisations. This raises the question of how quality management could benefit digitalisation efforts and help the government to adapt in the era of digital technologies. However, the extant literature mostly focuses on the practice of quality management and the antecedents of digital transformation from the context of a private organisation, and only rarely from a public sector perspective. Therefore, this research seeks to understand and identify the soft TQM elements that can be applied in a public organisation to propel its digital transformation. The analysis was conducted based on a review of relevant papers published in this field. Deductive thematic analysis was employed to identify appropriate themes for this study. The findings identify five soft TQM elements: top management commitment and leadership, training and education, employee involvement, citizen focus and continuous improvement, all of which could positively impact a public organisation’s digitalisation initiatives. The study aims to provide novel and relevant insights to assist government organisations in planning and carrying out digital transformations.