Administrative burden in digital service provision: a systematic literature review and research agenda

Governments increasingly use digital technologies to streamline public services and enrich citizen–state interactions. Yet, digital services can create onerous, costly experiences or administrative burden, especially for the less resourced and/or those with complex needs. This systematic literature review consolidates fragmented interdisciplinary research on administrative burden and digital services. Building on the Technological–Organizational–Individual framework, it synthesizes how burden can emerge across technological (e.g., digital administrative discretion, information infrastructure, transparency), organizational (e.g., hybrid service provision, proactivity, program complexity), and individual (e.g., digital literacy, coping behavior, social capital) factors. In doing so, we propose a holistic overview that illuminates the conditions under which digital services influence burdens and associated costs. This review also identifies research gaps and proposes a research agenda.