Understanding urban–rural disparities in digital government maturity: a governance perspective

The purpose of this study is to examine how differences in governance capacity shape urban–rural disparities in digital government maturity at the subnational level. Focusing on a developing country context, the study explores why local governments operating under the same national digital government framework exhibit divergent maturity outcomes, with particular attention to leadership, institutional coordination, and administrative readiness. This study employs a qualitative comparative case study approach. Two subnational governments operating under the same national digital government framework were purposively selected to represent contrasting territorial contexts. The findings reveal pronounced urban–rural disparities in digital government maturity driven primarily by differences in governance capacity. The urban local government demonstrates higher maturity through sustained leadership, coherent organizational arrangements, and effective inter-agency coordination. In contrast, the semi-rural government exhibits fragmented governance structures, limited human capital, and reactive implementation practices, resulting in lower and uneven maturity outcomes. This study is limited to two subnational cases within a single national context, which constrains generalisability. The findings suggest that reducing urban–rural disparities in digital government maturity requires prioritizing governance capacity over purely technological solutions. Policymakers should adopt place-sensitive strategies in leadership capacity, institutional coordination, and administrative readiness. Practitioners should focus on strengthening organizational structures, clarifying mandates, and investing in human capital, particularly in semi-rural local governments. Uneven digital government maturity can reinforce existing social inequalities between urban and semi-rural communities. This study offers original value by providing a governance-oriented explanation of urban–rural disparities in digital government maturity at the subnational level.