Understanding the Influence of Digital Policy on Public Service Delivery: The Moderating Role of Socio-Cultural Elements

Abstract

This study examined the influence of digital policy on public service delivery in selected district local governments in Uganda, with particular attention to the moderating role of socio-cultural elements. The study was guided by the Technology Acceptance Model, Principal-Agent Theory, and New Public Management theory, which respectively explain technology acceptance, information asymmetry, accountability, efficiency, and results-oriented public administration. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Structured questionnaires were administered to public officials and service users; 247 of 360 questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 68.6%. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings showed that digital policy had a strong, positive, and statistically significant effect on public service delivery (beta = .776, p < .001), indicating that effective digital policy implementation can enhance service efficiency, transparency, responsiveness, and accessibility. The measurement model for socio-cultural elements was reliable and valid, with factor loadings ranging from .598 to .775, composite reliability of .892, and average variance extracted of .511. However, the moderating effect of socio-cultural elements was negative and statistically insignificant (beta = -.021, p = .671), suggesting that socio-cultural factors did not significantly strengthen or weaken the relationship between digital policy and service delivery. The study concludes that digital policy is a significant driver of improved public service delivery, while institutional effectiveness, implementation capacity, transparency mechanisms, and managerial reforms may be more influential than socio-cultural variations in explaining service delivery outcomes.