E-Leadership and Public Service Innovation: A Case Study of Yogyakarta, Indonesia’s Digital Governance Transformation

E-leadership has emerged as an essential concept in contemporary public service management, addressing the growing demands of governance in the digital era. While its applications in the private sector and formal education have been widely acknowledged—particularly in enhancing efficiency and overcoming face-to-face limitations duringthe COVID-19 pandemic—its adoption in public institutions, especially in developing countries, remains underexplored. This study examines the extent to which e-leadership-based government innovation is implemented in local governments within developing contexts, focusing on Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The novelty of this study lies in its exploration of the intersection between digital transformation and local cultural traditions, a dimension often overlooked in existing e-leadership research. Furthermore, it pioneers the examination of e-leadership’s role in sub-national government innovation, providing new empirical insights into how digital leadership can be localized and harmonized with traditional governance frameworks. By integrating qualitative descriptive methods, the study analyses the readiness of Yogyakarta’s government to adapt digital transformation within culturally rooted administrative practices. Findings reveal that e-leadership-based innovation manifests in three interrelated forms: (1) infrastructure innovation, enabling digital governance systems; (2) institutional and policy transformation, reflecting adaptive leadership in digital policy-making; and (3) cultural innovation, signifying the integration of traditional values with digital practices. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of how e-leadership can serve as a catalyst for inclusive and culturally adaptive digital governance in developing regions, bridging global technological trends with indigenous administrative contexts.