Shifting gears in golden years: driving social change in the elderly population via digital governance and phygital banking services

With the rapid development of smart cities and the swift transition toward digital governance, optimizing urban spatial governance through digital technology remains underexplored in the Global South, particularly from the perspective of resident perception and interaction. Digitization of government services is a key area of interest in digital governance research; this study investigates the impact of government self-service systems on the spatial perception and behavior of residents in Guangzhou and Foshan, China. Through a mixed-method approach, combining questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews and analyzing them using a structural equation model, the findings reveal that government self-service systems significantly influence residents’ spatial behavior and perception. These systems enhance the efficiency of administrative processes, increase convenience, and lead to temporal-spatial compression, thereby reshaping residents’ physical interactions with urban spaces. The findings provide practical insights for policymakers to enhance urban governance by integrating digital technologies to improve residents’ interaction with government services. These insights can guide the development of more efficient, resident-centered digital governance frameworks, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how digital technology transforms urban spatial governance, highlighting the critical interplay between individuals, technology, and the urban environment. The study likewise provides examples of the ongoing digital transformation of public services in countries of the Global South that are lagging behind in the area of digital governance.

Electronic Government (e-Government) is an initiative to deliver services to citizens, businesses and government agencies. It enables citizen to access information and government services by using the Internet and other computer resources. Its implementation has improved the efficiency of governance and government services in Malaysia. However, studies have shown that the adoption of E-Government is still low among Malaysians. Using the EGOVSAT Model, this paper aims to evaluate user satisfaction of e-Government services in Malaysia and identify its significant predictors. The satisfaction model consists of five main constructs which include utility, reliability, efficiency, customization and flexibility. To measure the level of user satisfaction, a survey approach is employed. By using multistage stratified random sampling, a total of 620 questionnaires were distributed to nine regions in Selangor. Reliability test, regression analysis and correlation analysis were done to obtain appropriate results. The results indicate that four constructs were found significant and positively related to citizen satisfaction.

The introduction of digital governance and its further development is one of the priority directions for our country and serves the purpose of controlling the use of budgetary funds, information transparency, and improving information and financial services. Digital governance means, on the one hand, the use of digital technologies to support government services and increase citizen engagement, and on the other hand, online implementation of government services. However, it is noteworthy that with the increase in the scale of benefits, the high degree of security in the public space, including in the field of digital governance, is becoming more and more relevant. The digital government model enables electronic document circulation between government structures and provides operational work that is more accessible, reliable, and efficient for citizens. Its main characteristic is publicity, that is, wide access to government information and active involvement of citizens in the governance of the state. The state needs to be accessible to its citizens to resolve issues related to the government so that they do not have to stand in long queues and go through thousands of procedures to satisfy their wishes or interests. That is the main essence and driving force of digital governance - care for the comfort of citizens. Therefore, in parallel with the implementation and realization of various digital governance services, the existing and potential threats accompanying the implementation and use of digital services must be visible.

In the digital era, governance systems worldwide are transforming to become more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric. However, rural governance, particularly in countries with diverse linguistic landscapes like India, continues to face significant challenges in accessibility and inclusivity. The E-Grampanchayat initiative seeks to bridge this gap by developing a digital governance framework that allows citizens to interact with their local governing bodies in their native language. This paper explores the design, implementation, and impact of a localized e-governance system that ensures rural citizens can access government services without language barriers, thereby fostering inclusivity and active civic engagement. Rural India, home to over 65% of the country’s population, depends on the Grampanchayat system for administrative decisions, welfare schemes, taxation, and land records. Despite the government’s push towards digital transformation through initiatives like Digital India, rural citizens often struggle to interact with digital platforms due to their predominant reliance on regional languages. Most e-governance platforms operate in English or Hindi, which alienates non-literate or semi-literate individuals who lack proficiency in these languages. As a result, a significant portion of rural community’s remains digitally excluded, relying on intermediaries for even the most basic government services. This not only leads to inefficiencies but also increases the likelihood of corruption, misinformation, and procedural delays. The E-Grampanchayat model is designed to address these challenges through an AI-driven, multilingual digital governance platform that enables rural citizens to access government services in their native languages. By leveraging Natural Language Processing (NLP), Speech Recognition, and AI-powered translation tools, the system ensures seamless interaction between users and government services. The proposed platform allows citizens to file grievances, apply for certificates, check land records, and pay taxes, and access welfare schemes with ease. The inclusion of voice-based assistance ensures that even those with limited literacy can interact with the system effortlessly, using their dialect or spoken language to navigate government services. One of the core components of this system is the speech-to-text and text-to-speech technology, which allows users to submit applications or queries using voice input. The AI-powered backend then converts the speech into structured text, processes the request, and provides responses either in text or voice format in the user's preferred language. This ensures that governance is truly people-friendly, reducing dependency on third-party intermediaries. Furthermore, automated AI- driven translation services ensure that official documents, notices, and policies are dynamically converted into local languages, eliminating misinterpretation and improving citizen awareness. A critical factor in rural digital adoption is the mobile-first approach, considering the increasing penetration of smartphones in rural areas. Unlike traditional governance models that require physical visits to government offices, the E-Grampanchayat platform is designed to work seamlessly on low-end smartphones with minimal internet connectivity, ensuring widespread usability. Additionally, offline support mechanisms, such as SMS-based queries and USSD-based services, allow citizens in areas with poor internet access to interact with the system. A key feature of the system is the integration of AI-driven chatbots, which can answer frequently asked questions in multiple languages, reducing the burden on human administrators and improving response times. The implementation of blockchain technology within E-Grampanchayat further enhances transparency and security in rural governance. Traditional government processes often involve lengthy bureaucratic procedures, leading to inefficiencies and possible corruption. Blockchain provides a tamper-proof, decentralized record-keeping system for land records, welfare disbursements, and taxation, ensuring that all transactions are transparent and immutable. By eliminating middlemen, blockchain-based governance ensures that citizens receive direct benefits without delays or unnecessary processing fees. To assess the effectiveness of the E-Grampanchayat model, a pilot implementation was conducted in select rural areas. The results revealed a substantial increase in citizen participation, with a 60% reduction in the time required to process government applications and a 45% increase in the number of people accessing digital governance services. Villagers, especially women and the elderly, who were previously reluctant to engage with government platforms due to language and literacy barriers, found the voice-enabled features to be a game-changer in their interaction with local governance bodies. The system also significantly reduced dependency on intermediaries, empowering citizens with direct access to their rights and entitlements. Despite the promising outcomes, the implementation of E-Grampanchayat faces several challenges. One of the primary obstacles is digital illiteracy among rural citizens and government officials. While younger generations are more adaptable to technology, older individuals often struggle with the adoption of digital services. To address this, the study suggests conducting digital literacy workshops that familiarize citizens and local administrators with the platform, ensuring its widespread acceptance and usability. Additionally, infrastructural limitations such as poor internet connectivity and unreliable electricity supply pose barriers to the seamless operation of the system. The research proposes hybrid solutions, including community-based digital kiosks, which allow citizens to access services through village-level digital centers managed by trained facilitators. Another challenge is linguistic diversity and dialect variations within regional languages. Many Indian languages have multiple dialects, which can sometimes lead to misinterpretation of AI-driven translations. The study proposes a collaborative approach involving linguists, AI researchers, and local governance bodies to continuously refine and train the language models based on real-time user feedback. This will ensure that the system remains adaptive and contextually relevant to different linguistic demographics. The economic impact of E-Grampanchayat is also noteworthy. By streamlining government processes and eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies, the system can significantly reduce administrative costs for local governing bodies. Moreover, by improving access to welfare schemes and financial services, rural citizens can benefit from timely government support, leading to economic empowerment and better resource allocation. Additionally, the implementation of a digital payment gateway within the system allows citizens to pay taxes, fines, and service fees online, reducing delays and improving revenue collection for local governance bodies..

The digital era has transformed governance globally, creating new avenues for improving public service delivery. Nigeria, like many developing nations, is experiencing a paradigm shift towards digital governance as part of broader public sector reforms aimed at enhancing efficiency, accountability, and citizen engagement. This paper critically examines digital governance in Nigeria with specific attention to opportunities, challenges, and strategies for effective service delivery. Drawing from existing empirical studies, policy documents, and global experiences, the study highlights the transformative potential of digital governance in promoting transparency, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks, and enabling inclusive participation. The research adopted a qualitative content analysis approach, synthesizing secondary data from academic literature, government reports, and international organizations. Findings reveal that although Nigeria has embarked on notable digital governance initiatives—such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and e-government platforms—the implementation process is fraught with challenges. These include infrastructural deficits, digital illiteracy, cyber-security threats, corruption, and weak institutional capacity. Despite these barriers, opportunities exist in leveraging mobile technologies, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics to enhance service delivery. The paper concludes that successful digital governance in Nigeria requires sustained investment in ICT infrastructure, improved legal frameworks, capacity building, and robust citizen engagement mechanisms. It recommends a multi-stakeholder approach involving government, private sector, and civil society to ensure inclusive digital transformation. By addressing existing gaps, Nigeria can harness digital governance as a catalyst for sustainable development and effective service delivery in the 21st century.

The rapid digital transformation of public administration has led to the widespread adoption of electronic government systems across the world. E government systems enable governments to deliver services, share information, and interact with citizens through digital platforms. These systems have significantly improved administrative efficiency, reduced bureaucratic delays, and enhanced access to public services. However, the success of e government initiatives depends heavily on citizens’ trust in digital platforms and the transparency of governmental processes. Without sufficient trust in digital systems and confidence in the integrity of government institutions, citizens may be reluctant to engage with electronic governance services. Digital trust refers to citizens’ confidence that digital systems operate securely, reliably, and ethically while protecting personal data and ensuring fairness in administrative processes. Transparency refers to the openness of government processes, the accessibility of information, and the ability of citizens to understand how decisions are made within digital governance frameworks. Socio technological models that integrate technological infrastructure with social and institutional factors can play an important role in strengthening trust and transparency in e government systems. This study aims to design and evaluate a socio technological model for enhancing digital trust and transparency in e government systems. The research develops a conceptual framework that examines the relationships between technological reliability, institutional transparency, citizen participation, and digital trust in e government services. Data were collected from citizens, public administrators, and information technology professionals involved in digital governance initiatives. Structural Equation Modeling using Smart Partial Least Squares was employed to analyze the relationships between constructs. The results indicate that technological reliability, institutional transparency, and citizen participation significantly influence digital trust in e government systems. The findings highlight the importance of integrating technological capabilities with social and governance mechanisms to strengthen public confidence in digital public administration. The study contributes to research on digital governance by providing empirical insights into the socio technological factors that shape trust and transparency in e government systems

The rapid development of digital economy can realize the overall reform of Chinese green development of the agricultural sector from productivity to production relations. Digital economy incorporates data elements into green development of the agricultural sector, thus achieving digital governance across agricultural production, farmers' life and rural government services. However, during this period, the imbalance between digital economy and green development level in different regions, the difficulty in adjusting the digital structure of traditional rural industries, and the mismatch of digital governance services have a negative impact on the function of digital economy as an incentive for green development of the agricultural sector. To give full play to the advantages of digital economy in promoting the green development of agriculture, we should actively promote the digital transformation of traditional agriculture, explore the regional differentiation of green agriculture development mode, enhance the government's digital governance capability, and play the role of the government in the institutional protection of agricultural green development.

Models for forecasting changes in mortality, morbidity, and disability in elderly populations are essential to national and state policies and health and social programs. The rapid growth of the elderly and oldest-old populations have implications for the size and long-term fiscal soundness of programs, such as U.S. Social Security and Medicare. Less well understood are qualitative health and functional changes of future elderly populations and how changes affect federal and state health policy, public and private health-care providers, and private acute and long-term care (LTC) insurance.

Singapore’s elderly population has grown exponentially over the past decades. It was estimated that by 2030, one in four residents will be 65 and above. The rapidly aging population raises the question of retirement adequacy of the elderly. Self-reliance, where individuals plan for their own retirement, is encouraged. Singapore's government emphasizes the need for sufficient retirement savings to meet the rising costs of living. Set up as a public pension program, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) mandates working Singapore citizens (SCs) and Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) to make compulsory contributions of a portion of their monthly salaries into designated CPF accounts. It is a defined-contribution, fully funded program where individuals save for their old age. The CPF Lifelong Income for the Elderly (LIFE) Scheme (lifelong payouts) and the Retirement Sum Scheme (limited-term payouts) support a basic standard of living for members from their payout eligibility age, which currently ranges between 62 and 65, depending on their birth cohort. Despite the original intent of establishing the CPF as an old-age security scheme, the roles of CPF funds have gradually expanded over the years. In 1968, the government allowed CPF funds to be used to finance housing mortgages. Today, housing expenditure has become one of the common uses of CPF funds. Housing equities constitute a dominant fraction of household wealth for the elderly in Singapore. Throughout one life cycle, many households face the dilemma of being “asset-rich, cash-poor” in their golden years. Housing monetization, which refers to the conversion of household wealth from a more illiquid source, such as housing, to a more liquid one, is often relied upon by elderly people to finance living expenses after retirement. The monetization option becomes increasingly important as households age and have a large proportion of wealth locked in housing.

As Nigeria’s population continues to age, understanding the experiences and challenges faced by the elderly has become increasingly important. This manuscript explores the unique journey of Nigeria’s elderly population, shedding light on their experiences, and the hurdles they encounter. Through a qualitative approach, two focus group discussions and 12 in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 elderly participants, revealing nuanced perspectives on their daily lives. The data collection lasted for two months beginning from June 3 to August 2, 2023. Data were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. The analysis process involved identifying patterns, themes, and connections within the data, which were carried out using ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software. The findings underscore the multifaceted issues encountered by the elderly, including limited access to modern healthcare facilities, familial and societal changes impacting social support networks, financial constraints, and the intersectionality of insecurity and unemployment. There is an urgent need to implement policies to address the lack of modern health facilities in rural areas, reduce waiting times at health centres, expand health insurance schemes tailored to the unique needs of the elderly, and revise pension policies to ensure an adequate and sustainable income for the elderly.

This chapter examines South Korea’s old age poverty crisis, contrasting the nation’s celebrated economic success with the harsh realities faced by its elderly population. It highlights how economic insecurity stems from insufficient pensions, the erosion of traditional family support systems, and the high costs of urban living. The chapter illustrates these issues through personal stories, such as Nam-Kyung’s struggles with mandatory early retirement and depleted savings due to educational expenses for his daughter. It critiques South Korea’s productivist welfare policies, which prioritize economic growth while neglecting comprehensive protections for disadvantaged groups, exacerbating inequalities for low-income seniors. Finally, the chapter underscores how the government’s superficial policy measures fail to address the root causes of elderly poverty, leaving the crisis likely to persist without structural reforms.

Issue Highlights

Scholars widely regard digital governance as a path to good governance in China. However, the perception gap between political elites and mass in China has not yet been systematically explored. Based on a large-scale online national survey (N = 3,822), this study divides perceptions of digital governance into preference and satisfaction and applies an individual-contextual model to explain the perception gap. The findings reveal that there is consensus between political elites and mass in their preferences, but a significant divide exists in their satisfaction, with elites reporting higher satisfaction. Individual factors significantly shape both preference and satisfaction. There are heterogeneous effects in key individual factors and contextual factors. Low-income political elites report the highest level of satisfaction with digital governance among other subgroups. In cities where the digital governance system is more well-developed, the satisfaction gap is the narrowest, because elite satisfaction decreases more sharply during the process of constructing the digital governance system. By contrast, in cities with higher-quality digital governance services, the satisfaction gap widens—driven by the faster increase in elite satisfaction. These findings provide new insights into the perception gap between elites and mass, with important implications for the legitimacy of digital governance in China.

This research aims to explore the relationship between the applicability of digital governance in improving public service accountability and how data integration is implemented in the application of digital technology at the population and civil registration office of Makassar City. The highlighted issue is how service digitization contributes to transparency, efficiency and integrated public accountability. The research used an explanatory qualitative approach; which consisted of data collection techniques through in-depth interviews, review and analysis of official documents on digital-based service reports and direct observation of digital service platforms. Data analysis was conducted interactively through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, verification and and conclusion. The findings showed that digital governance at the population and civil registration office of Makassar City has improved to adapt to digital technology, thereby increasing effectiveness and public access to services. However, several improvement notes need to be improved, such as; aspects of data sustainability and security still require strengthening at the institutional level, increasing the capacity of human resources, and policy integration between local and national levels. Through comparisons with local research and with best practices at the global level, this research has reconstructed some concepts of e-government and good governance, while highlighting the need for appropriate adaptation to the local context. The contribution of this research consists in identifying and mapping the practical and normative challenges in implementing digital transformation in the public service sector at the local level.

The rapid evolution of digital governance necessitates strategic planning to ensure efficiency, transparency, and adaptability in public service delivery. This paper presents the development of the Strategic and Master Plan for Information and Communication Technology (PEDTIC) at the Tocantins State Information Technology Agency (ATI/TO), a pivotal initiative aimed at strengthening digital transformation efforts in Tocantins, Brazil. The PEDTIC was built upon three foundational diagnostic assessments: the Governance of ICT, the Strategic IT Plan (PDTI), and the ABEP-TIC Index evaluation. These diagnostics provided a comprehensive analysis of ATI/TO’s digital service capabilities, governance structures, and alignment with state objectives. The methodological approach combined situational assessments, regulatory reviews, management interviews, and benchmarking against national best practices. The findings highlighted gaps in IT governance, data integration, and digital service effectiveness. By aligning ATI/TO’s strategic vision with the broader objectives of the Tocantins government, the PEDTIC establishes a framework that prioritizes structured governance, risk management, and the enhancement of public digital services. This study discusses the lessons learned from the diagnostic phase, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, cross-department collaboration, and proactive risk management in digital transformation. The PEDTIC provides a structured action plan with clearly defined objectives, performance indicators, and accountability mechanisms to ensure continuous improvement and adaptation. The results of this initiative have already led to a significant improvement in ATI/TO’s ranking in the ABEP-TIC Index, demonstrating tangible progress in digital governance. Additionally, this paper explores the implications of ATI/TO’s transformation towards a more strategic operational model, shifting from purely technical functions to a leadership role in state digital governance. The conclusions drawn highlight the critical need for structured digital strategies, ongoing capacity-building initiatives, and stakeholder engagement to sustain long-term advancements in public digital services. The PEDTIC serves as a case study for other government institutions aiming to implement structured and scalable digital transformation initiatives.