Can Digital Transformation Reduce Government Corruption? A Meta-Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.qems3020Keywords:
Corruption, Digitization, e-government, Meta-Analysis, CorrelationAbstract
This meta-analysis examines the potential of digital transformation in reducing government corruption by synthesizing findings from 17 empirical studies published in the last five years. Using the PRISMA protocol, a comprehensive literature search was conducted, and studies were screened for eligibility. The meta-analysis revealed a substantial negative correlation between corruption and digitalization/e-government, with an overall effect size of -0.93 (95% CI: -1.18 to -0.68) based on the Random Effects Model. The results suggest that higher levels of digital transformation are associated with lower levels of corruption. However, the study also highlights the complex and context-dependent nature of this relationship, as cultural, economic, and institutional factors can moderate the impact of digitalization on corruption. The findings underscore the importance of investing in digital infrastructure, promoting digital literacy, and fostering ethical governance practices to effectively combat corruption through digital transformation.
References
References
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Avotra, A. A. R. N., Chengang, Y., Sandra Marcelline, T. R., Asad, A., & Yingfei, Y. (2021). Examining the Impact of E-Government on Corporate Social Responsibility Performance: The Mediating Effect of Mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, Corruption, and Information and Communication Technologies Development During the COVID era. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 737100.
Alam, T., Aftab, M., Abbas, Z., Ugli, K. M. M., & Bokhari, S. a. A. (2023). Impact of E-Government Initiatives to Combat Corruption Mediating by Behavioral Intention: A Quantitative Analysis from Emerging Economies. Sustainability, 15(3), 2694. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032694
Bhandari, D. R. (2024). COVID-19 and role of data Science for Anti-Corruption. Deleted Journal, 1(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajois.v1i1.62937
Bota-Avram, C. (2023). Exploring the impact of digitalization and technology on corruption: evidence from cross-country panel data within a cultural-economic framework. Kybernetes. https://doi.org/10.1108/k-03-2023-0522
Castro, C., & Lopes, I. C. (2022). E-Government as a Tool in Controlling Corruption. International Journal of Public Administration, 46(16), 1137–1150. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2022.2076695
De Haes, S., Caluwe, L., Huygh, T., & Joshi, A. (2020). Governing digital transformation. In Management for professionals. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30267-2
Ha, Le, Thanh. (2022). Accelerating Digital Transformation Implementation in the Fight Against Corruption?: Evidence From European Countries Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Electronic Government Research, doi: 10.4018/ijegr.298181
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.737100
Hartani, N. H., Cao, V. Q., & Nguyen, A. Q. (2020). REDUCING CORRUPTION THROUGH E-GOVERNMENT ADOPTION, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN ASEAN COUNTRIES. Journal of Security and Sustainability Issues, 9(M). https://doi.org/10.9770/jssi.2020.9.M(16)
Jalloh, T., & Jackson, E. A. (2023). The Moderating Effect of Digitalization on the Relationship between Corruption and Domestic Resource Mobilization: Evidence from Developing Countries. Theoretical and Practical Research in Economic Fields, 14(2), 423. https://doi.org/10.14505/tpref.v14.2(28).20
Karinda, K., Agustang, A., & Usman, A. (2023). Digital Government for Anti-Corruption: A Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Science and Society, 5(1), 199–219. https://doi.org/10.54783/ijsoc.v5i1.649
Kalesnikaite, V., Neshkova, M. I., & Ganapati, S. (2023). Parsing the impact of E?government on bureaucratic corruption. Governance, 36(3), 827–842. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12707
Komissarova, E., & Latkov, A. (2023). Digitalization of the national economy as an objective basis for improving the effectiveness of anti-corruption policy. Digital Models and Solutions, 2(4), 40–51. https://doi.org/10.29141/2949-477x-2023-2-4-4
???????, ?., ????????, ?., ??????, ?., & ??????????, ?. (2023). THE ROLE OF ECONOMIC AND DIGITAL FACTORS IN COMBATING CORRUPTION. Ekonomìka Ta Suspìl?stvo, 48. https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2023-48-19
Li, R., & Gospodarik, C. G. (2021). The impact of digital economy on economic growth based on Pearson Correlation Test analysis. In Lecture notes on data engineering and communications technologies (pp. 19–27). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5854-9_3
Li, S., Wei, W., & Ma, M. (2021). How Does E-Government Affect Corruption? Provincial Panel Evidence From China. IEEE Access, 9, 94879–94888. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3093981
Manita, S. K., Khaghaany, H. H., & Mensah, I. B. (2023). Digital Technologies and Transformation of governance Processes: A study of Syddanmark Regional Council in Denmark. Journal of Public Policy & Governance, 7(3), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t5224
Michael, Christopher, Moltz., Andrew, L., Morelock., Christopher, A., Simon. (2023). Perceptions of Civil Servant Corruption: A Cross-Country Analysis. Public Integrity, doi: 10.1080/10999922.2023.2262208
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
Merhi, M. I. (2022). The Effect of Digital Transformation on Corruption: A Global Analysis. Pacific Asia Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 14, 42–58. https://doi.org/10.17705/1pais.14204
Poufinas, T., Laskareli, A., & Agiropoulos, C. (2023). Decreasing Corruption and Increasing Competitiveness through E-Government. Theoretical Economics Letters, 13(02), 310–331. https://doi.org/10.4236/tel.2023.132020
Pham, T. N. (2020). The Role of E-Government In Fighting Against The Corruption: A Case Study Of Vietnam. Quantitative Economics and Management Studies, 1(5), 335–345. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.qems198
Poufinas, T., Laskareli, A., & Agiropoulos, C. (2023). Decreasing Corruption and Increasing Competitiveness through E-Government. Theoretical Economics Letters, 13(02), 310–331. https://doi.org/10.4236/tel.2023.132020
Purnamasari, P., Amran, N. a. B., Nu’man, A. H., Frendika, R., Nor, M. N. M., & Ismail, M. S. (2023). The relationship between the components of E-Government services towards corruption in Malaysia and Indonesia. KnE Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v8i18.14242
Rahman, A. R. a. A. (2022). Revisiting the Relationship between E-Government and Corruption: An Empirical Investigation. Athens Journal of Social Sciences, 10(1), 79–94. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajss.10-1-5
Rey, W. P., Villaluz, A. C., & Rey, K. W. J. D. (2024). The Impact of Digital Transformation in the Philippines: A Study of the Key Drivers and Barriers. In ICCMB ’24: Proceedings of the 2024 7th International Conference on Computers in Management and Business. https://doi.org/10.1145/3647782.3647799
Raul, Gouvea., Shih-hua, Li., Manuel, (MJR), Montoya. (2022). Does transitioning to a digital economy imply lower levels of corruption? Thunderbird International Business Review, doi: 10.1002/tie.22265
Rob, Kim, Marjerison., Andrea, Gatto. (2024). Public sector digitalization, corruption, and sustainability in the developing world: A scoping review. Sustainable Development, doi: 10.1002/sd.2900
Sadik-Zada, E. R., Gatto, A., & Niftiyev, I. (2022). E-government and petty corruption in public sector service delivery. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537325.2022.2067037
Seiam, D. A., & Salman, D. (2024). Examining the global influence of e-governance on corruption: a panel data analysis. Future Business Journal, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-024-00319-3
Sokolov, M. S. (2023). PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION THROUGH DIGITAL AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES. LEGAL ORDER. History Theory Practice, 39(4), 184–192. https://doi.org/10.47475/2311-696x-2023-39-4-184-192
Stanley, T. (2001). Wheat From Chaff: Meta-Analysis as Quantitative Literature Review. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 15. 131-150. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.15.3.131.
Surovi?ová, A., Bozhenko, V., Boyko, A., & Petrenko, K. (2022). ASSESSMENT OF TRANSMISSION EFFECTS BETWEEN “CORRUPTION-DIGITIZATION-ECONOMIC GROWTH.” Financial and Credit Activity Problems of Theory and Practice, 3(44), 132–140. https://doi.org/10.55643/fcaptp.3.44.2022.3797
Suardi, I. (2021). E-Government, Governance and Corruption in Asian countries. Emerging Markets?: Business and Management Studies Journal, 8(2), 137–150. https://doi.org/10.33555/embm.v8i2.180
Thomas, Poufinas., Charalampos, Agiropoulos. (2023). Decreasing Corruption and Increasing Competitiveness through E-Government. Theoretical Economics Letters, doi: 10.4236/tel.2023.132020
Tsouli, D. (2023). Internet Adoption, Digital Divide, and Corruption: Evidence from ECOWAS Countries. Scientific Annals of Economics and Business, 70(2), 185–202. https://doi.org/10.47743/saeb-2023-0023
Tubanambazi, M. F., & Ruvuna, E. (2021). MODELING THE IMPACTS OF E-GOVERNMENT SERVICES ON CORRUPTION REDUCTION IN RWANDA: A CASE EVIDENCE FROM NYAMASHEKE DISTRICT, RWANDA. European Journal of Social Sciences Studies, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v6i2.1036
Victoria, Bozhenko., Kirill, Petrenko. (2022). Best practices in the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to fight corruption. ?????? ????????? ?????????? ????????????, doi: 10.21272/1817-9215.2022.2-6
Xiao, J., Han, L., & Zhang, H. (2022). Exploring Driving Factors of Digital Transformation among Local Governments: Foundations for Smart City Construction in China. Sustainability, 14(22), 14980. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214980
Z.X., Zhang., Hua, Zhong., Jing, Li., Shengzhen, Ding. (2024). Digital Economy and Carbon Emission Intensity?A Cross-country Study. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3922657/v1
Zhao, X., & Xu, H. D. (2015). E-Government and Corruption: A Longitudinal Analysis of Countries. International Journal of Public Administration, 38(6), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2014.942736
Zaoui, F., & Souissi, N. (2020). Roadmap for digital transformation: A literature review. Procedia Computer Science, 175, 621-628.
Arayankalam, J., Khan, A., & Krishnan, S. (2021). How to deal with corruption? Examining the roles of e-government maturity, government administrative effectiveness, and virtual social networks diffusion. International Journal of Information Management, 58, 102203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102203
Avotra, A. A. R. N., Chengang, Y., Sandra Marcelline, T. R., Asad, A., & Yingfei, Y. (2021). Examining the Impact of E-Government on Corporate Social Responsibility Performance: The Mediating Effect of Mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, Corruption, and Information and Communication Technologies Development During the COVID era. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 737100.
Alam, T., Aftab, M., Abbas, Z., Ugli, K. M. M., & Bokhari, S. a. A. (2023). Impact of E-Government Initiatives to Combat Corruption Mediating by Behavioral Intention: A Quantitative Analysis from Emerging Economies. Sustainability, 15(3), 2694. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032694
Bhandari, D. R. (2024). COVID-19 and role of data Science for Anti-Corruption. Deleted Journal, 1(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajois.v1i1.62937
Bota-Avram, C. (2023). Exploring the impact of digitalization and technology on corruption: evidence from cross-country panel data within a cultural-economic framework. Kybernetes. https://doi.org/10.1108/k-03-2023-0522
Castro, C., & Lopes, I. C. (2022). E-Government as a Tool in Controlling Corruption. International Journal of Public Administration, 46(16), 1137–1150. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2022.2076695
De Haes, S., Caluwe, L., Huygh, T., & Joshi, A. (2020). Governing digital transformation. In Management for professionals. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30267-2
Ha, Le, Thanh. (2022). Accelerating Digital Transformation Implementation in the Fight Against Corruption?: Evidence From European Countries Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Electronic Government Research, doi: 10.4018/ijegr.298181
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.737100
Hartani, N. H., Cao, V. Q., & Nguyen, A. Q. (2020). REDUCING CORRUPTION THROUGH E-GOVERNMENT ADOPTION, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN ASEAN COUNTRIES. Journal of Security and Sustainability Issues, 9(M). https://doi.org/10.9770/jssi.2020.9.M(16)
Jalloh, T., & Jackson, E. A. (2023). The Moderating Effect of Digitalization on the Relationship between Corruption and Domestic Resource Mobilization: Evidence from Developing Countries. Theoretical and Practical Research in Economic Fields, 14(2), 423. https://doi.org/10.14505/tpref.v14.2(28).20
Karinda, K., Agustang, A., & Usman, A. (2023). Digital Government for Anti-Corruption: A Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Science and Society, 5(1), 199–219. https://doi.org/10.54783/ijsoc.v5i1.649
Kalesnikaite, V., Neshkova, M. I., & Ganapati, S. (2023). Parsing the impact of E?government on bureaucratic corruption. Governance, 36(3), 827–842. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12707
Komissarova, E., & Latkov, A. (2023). Digitalization of the national economy as an objective basis for improving the effectiveness of anti-corruption policy. Digital Models and Solutions, 2(4), 40–51. https://doi.org/10.29141/2949-477x-2023-2-4-4
???????, ?., ????????, ?., ??????, ?., & ??????????, ?. (2023). THE ROLE OF ECONOMIC AND DIGITAL FACTORS IN COMBATING CORRUPTION. Ekonomìka Ta Suspìl?stvo, 48. https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2023-48-19
Li, R., & Gospodarik, C. G. (2021). The impact of digital economy on economic growth based on Pearson Correlation Test analysis. In Lecture notes on data engineering and communications technologies (pp. 19–27). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5854-9_3
Li, S., Wei, W., & Ma, M. (2021). How Does E-Government Affect Corruption? Provincial Panel Evidence From China. IEEE Access, 9, 94879–94888. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3093981
Manita, S. K., Khaghaany, H. H., & Mensah, I. B. (2023). Digital Technologies and Transformation of governance Processes: A study of Syddanmark Regional Council in Denmark. Journal of Public Policy & Governance, 7(3), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t5224
Michael, Christopher, Moltz., Andrew, L., Morelock., Christopher, A., Simon. (2023). Perceptions of Civil Servant Corruption: A Cross-Country Analysis. Public Integrity, doi: 10.1080/10999922.2023.2262208
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
Merhi, M. I. (2022). The Effect of Digital Transformation on Corruption: A Global Analysis. Pacific Asia Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 14, 42–58. https://doi.org/10.17705/1pais.14204
Poufinas, T., Laskareli, A., & Agiropoulos, C. (2023). Decreasing Corruption and Increasing Competitiveness through E-Government. Theoretical Economics Letters, 13(02), 310–331. https://doi.org/10.4236/tel.2023.132020
Pham, T. N. (2020). The Role of E-Government In Fighting Against The Corruption: A Case Study Of Vietnam. Quantitative Economics and Management Studies, 1(5), 335–345. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.qems198
Poufinas, T., Laskareli, A., & Agiropoulos, C. (2023). Decreasing Corruption and Increasing Competitiveness through E-Government. Theoretical Economics Letters, 13(02), 310–331. https://doi.org/10.4236/tel.2023.132020
Purnamasari, P., Amran, N. a. B., Nu’man, A. H., Frendika, R., Nor, M. N. M., & Ismail, M. S. (2023). The relationship between the components of E-Government services towards corruption in Malaysia and Indonesia. KnE Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v8i18.14242
Rahman, A. R. a. A. (2022). Revisiting the Relationship between E-Government and Corruption: An Empirical Investigation. Athens Journal of Social Sciences, 10(1), 79–94. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajss.10-1-5
Rey, W. P., Villaluz, A. C., & Rey, K. W. J. D. (2024). The Impact of Digital Transformation in the Philippines: A Study of the Key Drivers and Barriers. In ICCMB ’24: Proceedings of the 2024 7th International Conference on Computers in Management and Business. https://doi.org/10.1145/3647782.3647799
Raul, Gouvea., Shih-hua, Li., Manuel, (MJR), Montoya. (2022). Does transitioning to a digital economy imply lower levels of corruption? Thunderbird International Business Review, doi: 10.1002/tie.22265
Rob, Kim, Marjerison., Andrea, Gatto. (2024). Public sector digitalization, corruption, and sustainability in the developing world: A scoping review. Sustainable Development, doi: 10.1002/sd.2900
Sadik-Zada, E. R., Gatto, A., & Niftiyev, I. (2022). E-government and petty corruption in public sector service delivery. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537325.2022.2067037
Seiam, D. A., & Salman, D. (2024). Examining the global influence of e-governance on corruption: a panel data analysis. Future Business Journal, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-024-00319-3
Sokolov, M. S. (2023). PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION THROUGH DIGITAL AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES. LEGAL ORDER. History Theory Practice, 39(4), 184–192. https://doi.org/10.47475/2311-696x-2023-39-4-184-192
Stanley, T. (2001). Wheat From Chaff: Meta-Analysis as Quantitative Literature Review. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 15. 131-150. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.15.3.131.
Surovi?ová, A., Bozhenko, V., Boyko, A., & Petrenko, K. (2022). ASSESSMENT OF TRANSMISSION EFFECTS BETWEEN “CORRUPTION-DIGITIZATION-ECONOMIC GROWTH.” Financial and Credit Activity Problems of Theory and Practice, 3(44), 132–140. https://doi.org/10.55643/fcaptp.3.44.2022.3797
Suardi, I. (2021). E-Government, Governance and Corruption in Asian countries. Emerging Markets?: Business and Management Studies Journal, 8(2), 137–150. https://doi.org/10.33555/embm.v8i2.180
Thomas, Poufinas., Charalampos, Agiropoulos. (2023). Decreasing Corruption and Increasing Competitiveness through E-Government. Theoretical Economics Letters, doi: 10.4236/tel.2023.132020
Tsouli, D. (2023). Internet Adoption, Digital Divide, and Corruption: Evidence from ECOWAS Countries. Scientific Annals of Economics and Business, 70(2), 185–202. https://doi.org/10.47743/saeb-2023-0023
Tubanambazi, M. F., & Ruvuna, E. (2021). MODELING THE IMPACTS OF E-GOVERNMENT SERVICES ON CORRUPTION REDUCTION IN RWANDA: A CASE EVIDENCE FROM NYAMASHEKE DISTRICT, RWANDA. European Journal of Social Sciences Studies, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v6i2.1036
Victoria, Bozhenko., Kirill, Petrenko. (2022). Best practices in the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to fight corruption. ?????? ????????? ?????????? ????????????, doi: 10.21272/1817-9215.2022.2-6
Xiao, J., Han, L., & Zhang, H. (2022). Exploring Driving Factors of Digital Transformation among Local Governments: Foundations for Smart City Construction in China. Sustainability, 14(22), 14980. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214980
Z.X., Zhang., Hua, Zhong., Jing, Li., Shengzhen, Ding. (2024). Digital Economy and Carbon Emission Intensity?A Cross-country Study. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3922657/v1
Zhao, X., & Xu, H. D. (2015). E-Government and Corruption: A Longitudinal Analysis of Countries. International Journal of Public Administration, 38(6), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2014.942736
Zaoui, F., & Souissi, N. (2020). Roadmap for digital transformation: A literature review. Procedia Computer Science, 175, 621-628.
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2025-02-28
How to Cite
Munshi, M., & Manni, U. H. (2025). Can Digital Transformation Reduce Government Corruption? A Meta-Analysis. Quantitative Economics and Management Studies, 6(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.qems3020
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