Accountability of local government organizations in the digital age
Keywords:
Accountability, Local Government, Digital Era, Good GovernanceAbstract
This article aims to analyze and propose strategies for enhancing accountability in local government organizations in the digital era. It examines the evolution of accountability in public administration, from Bureaucratic Accountability to Managerial, Democratic, and Digital Accountability, and its integration with Good Governance principles.The study identifies key dimensions of digital accountability, including Information Transparency, Auditability, Responsiveness, and Trustworthiness, and introduces a new concept, “Accountability Intelligence”, which integrates technology, data, and ethical consciousness to strengthen accountability in local government.
Practical guidelines are proposed at policy, organizational, and citizen levels, such as the establishment of Open Local Data, development of Digital Leadership for local administrators, and promotion of Digital Citizenship, aligned with Thailand’s 20-Year National Strategy and Digital Government policies.
The findings suggest that integrating technology with governance principles, enhancing leadership learning, and promoting citizen participation can create local government organizations that are transparent, accountable, and responsive to public needs in the digital age.
References
สำนักงานพัฒนารัฐบาลดิจิทัล. (2566). รายงานการพัฒนารัฐบาลดิจิทัลของประเทศไทย พ.ศ. 2566. กรุงเทพฯ: สำนักงานพัฒนารัฐบาลดิจิทัล (องค์การมหาชน).
Bovens, M. (2007). Analysing and assessing accountability: A conceptual framework. European Law Journal, 13(4), 447–468.
Dubnick, M. J. (2005). Accountability and the promise of performance: In search of the mechanisms. Public Performance & Management Review, 28(3), 376–417.
Dubnick, M. J., & Frederickson, H. G. (2011). Accountable governance: Problems and promises. M.E. Sharpe.
Finer, H. (1941). Administrative responsibility in democratic government. Public Administration Review, 1(4), 335–350.
Frederickson, H. G. (1997). The spirit of public administration. Jossey-Bass.
Hood, C. (1991). A public management for all seasons? Public Administration, 69(1), 3–19.
Meijer, A. (2015). E-governance innovation: Barriers and strategies. Government Information Quarterly, 32(2), 198–206.
Nam, T. (2018). Examining the anti-corruption effect of e-government and the moderating effect of national culture: A cross-country study. Government Information Quarterly, 35(2), 273–282.
OECD. (2021). Digital government index: 2021 results. OECD Publishing.
Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. (2023). Integrity and transparency assessment (ITA) annual report 2023. NACC.
Pratchett, L. (2017). Local governance in the digital age. Local Government Studies, 43(5), 717–734.
Romzek, B. S., & Dubnick, M. J. (1987). Accountability in the public sector: Lessons from the Challenger tragedy. Public Administration Review, 47(3), 227–238.
Schedler, A. (1999). Conceptualizing accountability. In A. Schedler, L. Diamond, & M. F. Plattner (Eds.), The self-restraining state: Power and accountability in new democracies. Lynne Rienner.
UNDP. (2020). Digital governance for development: A framework for digital transformation. United Nations Development Programme.
Weber, M. (1947). The theory of social and economic organization. Free Press.
World Bank. (2022). GovTech maturity index 2022: The state of public sector digital transformation. World Bank Group.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Modern Public Administrative Science

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

