Mapping the Adoption of Disruptive Technologies in Public Administration: A Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Practical Applications

Recent societal challenges have highlighted the urgent need for public administration (PA) to harness the potential of disruptive technologies (DT) such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, 3D printing, robotics and drones. This paper aims to fill the research gap in comprehensive analyzes, especially with regard to the practical applications of AI in the context of DT in PA. The paper has two main objectives: first, to identify the role of DT, with particular attention to AI, in PA considering current research trends; second, to provide a comprehensive overview of the main practical applications of DT in PA worldwide. First, a bibliometric analysis of 5,927 documents in the Scopus database published between 2010 and 2023 is conducted. This is followed by a content analysis of prominent documents from institutions such as the World Bank, the OECD and the EU. The results show that DT, especially AI, are gaining importance in PA research and have concrete applications in various sectors. This study provides a refined conceptualization of DT in the context of PA with a focus on AI.