Abstract
This study investigates how smart governance practices contribute to enhancing public service delivery and administrative efficiency in Indonesian local governments, with a focus on Jambi City. Despite national-level initiatives such as the 100 Smart City Movement, the local implementation of digital governance remains uneven and understudied. This case study aims to fill this gap by exploring the drivers, barriers, and impacts of digital transformation in a decentralized governance context. A qualitative case study approach was employed, incorporating semi-structured
interviews with public officials, observations in municipal departments, and analysis of relevant policy documents. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns, supported by NVivo software. Data validation was conducted using triangulation, member checks, and peer debriefing. The findings reveal that strong leadership, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and investment in digital infrastructure were key drivers of transformation. However, challenges such as limited connectivity, insufficient digital literacy, cybersecurity risks, and bureaucratic bottlenecks significantly hindered progress. The city's digital maturity was uneven, with strengths in e-services but weaknesses in data integration and security. This study contributes to the discourse on smart governance in emerging economies by emphasizing the importance of digital capacity-building, inter-agency coordination, and ethical management of citizen data. The implications offer actionable insights for local governments in developing countries aiming to navigate the complexities of digital transition while maintaining transparency and service quality.
