Effectiveness of Public Services through Smart City in Realizing Good Governance in Semarang City

¹ Department of Government Affairs and Administration, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
² Department of Government Affairs and Administration, Jusuf Kalla School of Government, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
³ Department of Political Science, College of Arts and Social Sciences, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, Philippines

^* Corresponding author: dyahmutiarin@umy.ac.id

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of public services through the SiHati Smart City application in realizing good governance in Semarang City. SiHati application, as part of the smart city initiative, is designed to improve the quality of public services by utilizing information and communication technology. This research used a qualitative method with a case study approach, which involved in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis. The results show that the SiHati application has a positive impact in improving transparency, accountability, and participation in the community governance process. The application facilitates access to information, accelerates government response to community complaints, and reduces bureaucratic red tape. However, challenges remain, such as limited technological infrastructure and a lack of digital literacy among the community. Overall, this study concludes that the SiHati Smart City application is effective in realizing good governance in Semarang City, although there are some aspects that need to be improved to reach its full potential. Recommendations are given for improving technological infrastructure, digital literacy training, and developing application features that are more responsive to the needs of the community.