Organisational enablers of artificial intelligence adoption in public institutions : a systematic literature review

Tomaževič, Nina (author), Murko, Eva (author), Aristovnik, Aleksander (author)

Purpose: The purpose of the presented study was to develop a set of recommendations for decision-makers (policymakers and public managers) and public employees to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of organisational elements in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in public institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Utilising a systematic literature review following the PRISMA protocol, the study examines the organisational enablers of AI adoption in public institutions. Comprehensive search queries in the Scopus database identified relevant literature focusing on the intersection of AI technologies and various organisational elements. The analysis was facilitated by NVivo 12, enabling a structured examination of key organisational facets for people, culture, structure, processes, and technology within public institutions. Findings: Previous studies on AI adoption in public institutions identified numerous enablers of AI adoption associated with organisational elements like people/employees, structure, culture, technology, and processes. Several surveys and case studies stress the importance of concentrating on the introduction or transformation of these organisational elements prior to or concurrently with the adoption of AI. Academic contribution to the field: By applying a systematic literature review protocol, the study represents the first holistic and systematic review of specific organisational elements that can serve as enablers of AI adoption in public institutions. Research limitations/implications: This systematic literature review was subject to several limitations. Firstly, the division of AI literature between natural and social sciences, with the former focusing on technical aspects and the latter on broader organisational themes, may have resulted in an incomplete depiction of the intersection of AI and organisational change. Secondly, despite the broad search queries, inherent limitations of keyword-based searches may have excluded some relevant studies. Thirdly, considering the rapid evolution of AI technology, our review may not fully encapsulate the very latest developments in the field as it covers literature published until May 2023. Finally, the interpretation and coding of literature, despite the use of NVivo 12, involved subjective elements that could affect the study’s outcomes. Practical implications: Drawing from experiences in the private sector, public institutions are increasingly adopting AI technologies across various subsectors such as public finance (taxation), research, healthcare, law enforcement, defence, education. This requires a transformation in both hard (structure, processes etc.) and soft aspects (people, organisational culture etc.). Therefore, the enablers identified in the study can serve as guidelines for decision-makers and implementers of AI at all levels of public institutions. Social implications: If adopted effectively and efficiently and used professionally and ethically, the use of AI in public institutions can bring many benefits to society, such as transparency, justice, cost and time efficiency, high quality services, and improved collaboration between different stakeholders in society. Originality/significance/value: Our study makes a distinct contribution by shifting the focus from technological barriers to organisational enablers of AI adoption in public institutions. It bridges a critical gap in the literature by integrating both technical and social science perspectives, providing valuable insights for theory and practice in the fields of organisation and management.

• Language: English
• Keywords: AI adoption, artificial intelligence, organisational changes, organisational enablers, public institution, systematic literature review
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FU - Faculty of Administration
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 109-138, 224-225
• Numbering: Vol. 22, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-158231
• UDC: 35:004.8:347.195
• ISSN on article: 2591-2240
• DOI: 10.17573/cepar.2024.1.05
• COBISS.SI-ID: 197020675
• Publication date in RUL: 30.05.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Central European public administration review
• Shortened title: CEPAR
• Publisher: Fakulteta za upravo
• ISSN: 2591-2240
• COBISS.SI-ID: 293849600

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Organizacijski dejavniki spodbude za uvedbo umetne inteligence v javnih institucijah

Abstract

Namen: Namen študije je oblikovati niz priporočil za odločevalce (oblikovalce politik in javne menedžerje) in javne uslužbence za povečanje uspešnosti in učinkovitosti organizacijskih elementov pri uvedbi umetne inteligence (UI) v javnih institucijah. Zasnova/metodologija/pristop: Študija s sistematičnim pregledom literature po protokolu PRISMA proučuje organizacijske dejavnike, ki omogočajo uvedbo UI v javnih institucijah. Z obsežnim iskanjem smo v podatkovni zbirki Scopus opredelili ustrezno literaturo, ki se osredotoča na prepletanje tehnologij UI in različnih organizacijskih elementov. Analizo je olajšal program NVivo 12, ki je omogočil strukturirano preučevanje ključnih organizacijskih vidikov – ljudje, kultura, struktura, procesi in tehnologija – v javnih institucijah. Ugotovitve: Dosedanje študije o uvedbi UI v javnih institucijah so pokazale številne dejavnike, ki spodbujajo uvedbo UI in so povezani z organizacijskimi elementi, kot so ljudje/zaposleni, struktura, kultura, tehnologija in procesi. Številne raziskave in študije primerov poudarjajo pomen osredotočanja na uvajanje ali preoblikovanje teh organizacijskih elementov pred ali vzporedno z uvedbo UI. Akademski prispevek k znanstvenem področju: Študija predstavlja prvi celovit in sistematičen pregled izbranih organizacijskih elementov, ki lahko služijo kot spodbujevalci uvedbe UI v javnih institucijah. Omejitve/pomanjkljivosti raziskave: Tovrsten sistematični pregled literature je podvržen določenim omejitvam. Iz tega vidika je možno, da je prikaz povezave med UI in organizacijskimi spremembami zaradi delitev literature o UI na naravoslovno in družboslovno, pri čemer se prva osredotoča na tehnične vidike, druga pa na širša organizacijska vprašanja, nepopoln. Prav tako je možno, da so bile zaradi omejitev, povezanih z iskanjem po ključnih besedah, nekatere pomembne študije izpuščene. Glede na hiter razvoj UI naš pregled morda ne odraža zadnjih dognanj na tem področju, saj zajema literaturo, objavljeno do maja 2023, poleg tega pa sta interpretacija in kodiranje literature kljub uporabi programa NVivo 12 vključevala subjektivne elemente, ki bi lahko vplivali na rezultate. Vpliv v praksi: Na podlagi izkušenj iz zasebnega sektorja tudi javne institucije vse bolj uporabljajo tehnologije UI na področjih, kot so javne finance (davki), raziskave, zdravstvo, kazenski pregon, obramba, izobraževanje. To zahteva spremembe tako »trdih« (struktura, procesi itd.) kot »mehkih« elementov (ljudje, organizacijska kultura itd.). Zato lahko dejavniki spodbude, opredeljeni v študiji, služijo kot smernice za odločevalce in izvajalce UI na vseh ravneh javnih institucij. Vpliv na družbo: Če bo UI v javnih institucijah uvedena učinkovito in uspešno ter se bo uporabljala strokovno in etično, lahko družbi prinese številne koristi, kot so preglednost, pravičnost, stroškovna in časovna učinkovitost, visoka kakovost storitev ter boljše sodelovanje med različnimi deležniki v družbi. Izvirnost/pomen/vrednost: Študija predstavlja poseben doprinos, saj se namesto na tehnološke osredotoča na organizacijske dejavnike spodbude uvedbe UI v javnih institucijah. Z vključevanjem tehničnih in družboslovnih vidikov zapolnjuje kritično vrzel v literaturi ter zagotavlja dragoceno podlago za teorijo in prakso na področju organizacije in upravljanja.

• Keywords: uvedba UI, umetna inteligenca, organizacijske spremembe, organizacijski dejavniki spodbude, javna institucija, sistematični pregled literature