Smart Governance and Digital Transformation in Local Public Services: A Systematic Analysis of Adaptive Governance in the Digital Era

Digital transformation has fundamentally reshaped local government administration, giving rise to a new paradigm known as smart governance. This paradigm extends beyond the mere application of technology to encompass the enhancement of transparency, citizen participation, and cross-sector collaboration. This study aims to analyze the conceptual foundations and implementation practices of smart governance within the context of local governments, while examining how digitalization affects public service quality and government–citizen relations. The research employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of 50 peer-reviewed international and national articles published between 2020 and 2025, focusing on themes of digital innovation, e-governance, citizen participation, and adaptive policy frameworks. Findings reveal three core dimensions of smart governance: (1) digitalization of administrative processes, (2) open data and information transparency, and (3) collaborative citizen participation. However, the review also highlights persistent disparities in digital capacity across regions and emerging challenges related to data security and ethical digital governance. The study concludes that the success of smart governance depends not solely on technological infrastructure, but also on institutional capacity, citizens’ digital literacy, and collaborative leadership commitment at the local level. These findings underscore the need for an integrated and adaptive governance approach that aligns technological innovation with participatory and ethical public management in the digital era.