Strategies for Revitalizing Data-Driven Administration to Realize a Digital Platform Government: With a focus on a Comparative Analysis of Central and Local Governments

This study seeks to address the causes of wicked problems and derive effective solutions through data-driven administrative innovation. In this context, the government is adopting digital platforms to facilitate data-driven, scientific decision-making and foster transparency and openness in administrative operations. Using data from the “Survey on Data-Based Administration in the Era of Cloud Transformation,” this study statistically examines the influence of technical, organizational, managerial, and policy factors on the activation of data-driven administration, specifically aimed at enhancing data sharing and inter-organizational collaboration. Findings indicate that data infrastructure (technical factor), an innovation-oriented organizational culture (organizational and managerial factor), performance management (policy factor), and organizational behavior (acting as a mediator) significantly impact the activation of data-driven administration. Conversely, data capability -a variable measuring public servants’ data analysis and utilization skills within organizational and managerial factors- was not found to significantly influence the activation of data-driven administration or organizational behavior. Additionally, a comparative analysis between central and local governments revealed distinct differences in activation pathways for data-driven administration between these levels of government. These findings suggest that organizational culture, infrastructure, management systems, and changes in organizational behavior are more critical to enabling data-driven government than individual employees' data-related skills and knowledge. The results further underscore the need for customized policies tailored to the specific characteristics and requirements of central and local governments in their efforts to advance data-driven administration.