This paper examines digital transformation in the public sector and its interaction with the bureaucratic model of governance. From a theoretical perspective, it explores how traditional bureaucratic principles align (or conflict) with modern digital reforms. A scoping literature review was conducted, selecting publications up to 2023 through structured searches in Web of Science and SCOPUS. Text mining via VOSviewer enabled a co-word analysis, identifying key themes in 62 papers, primarily published after 2014, authored by 116 scholars across 44 journals. The findings were grouped into three thematic clusters: Consequences of Digital Transformation; Implementation of Digital Transformation, and Street-Level Bureaucracy in the Digital Age. These clusters highlight the effects of technology on public administration, the challenges of digital reform implementation, and the role of frontline bureaucrats. This study offers a critical assessment of bureaucracy in the digital era and provides insights for policymakers navigating digital transformation in highly bureaucratic environments.
Bernardo Motta Monteiro (2025) studied this question.