Trust and transformational government: A proposed framework for research

This paper examines the concepts of trust and transformational government, both of which have been the subject of increasing attention in recent times. It explores what trust and transformation mean, or could mean, for government, governance and public administration and whether transformational government is just a feel-good phrase or a genuinely new departure. As part of this, the question of what precisely is being, or could be, transformed is examined. The results of this examination suggest that the expectation that technology-enabled change has the ability to increase citizen trust, thereby transforming government may be too high, but that more research is needed. A framework for such research is proposed.

Research Highlights► We examine the relationship between transformation and trust in government. ► Transformation is a problematic term with no agreed meaning. ► Trust is a well established construct, but has a number of conceptualizations. ► We propose a framework for examining transformation and trust in government. ► We suggest a number of avenues for further research.