Digital horizons: IT-driven strategies and challenges in environmental planning and public administration

Abstract

This mixed-method study delves into the realm of environmental planning and public administration, focusing on the adoption, impact, challenges, and facilitators of IT-driven strategies. Drawing upon a comprehensive assessment across various regions, the study unveils a significant extent of adoption of IT-driven strategies, underlining their crucial role in contemporary governance processes. Digital technologies emerge as potent catalysts for enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in environmental planning and public administration, facilitating streamlined processes and improved decision-making. The study identifies key factors influencing successful implementation, encompassing leadership, institutional capacity, stakeholder engagement, and resource allocation. Additionally, stakeholders' perspectives unveil both benefits and challenges associated with digital integration, underscoring the imperative of addressing data privacy, technical capacity, and resistance to change. Crucially, organizational culture, leadership, and institutional capacity emerge as linchpins in driving successful IT adoption efforts. The study's conclusions underscore the global acknowledgment of technology's pivotal role in environmental governance, highlighting the transformative potential of digital solutions. Recommendations include investing in leadership development, enhancing institutional capacity, promoting stakeholder engagement, bridging the digital divide, and fostering collaboration to leverage innovative IT solutions for sustainable environmental governance.