Articles
DOI DOI: 10.62441/actainnovations.vi.628

MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE IN THE MAKING OF SMART VILLAGES: POLICY ALIGNMENT AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIA

Malisa Ladini1, Teguh Yuwono2, Yuwanto2
  1. 1 Doctor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Diponegoro University
  2. 2 Department of Political Science and Governmenttry, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Diponegoro University

Abstract

Smart Village development has become an important strategy for supporting rural digital transformation, improving public service delivery, and strengthening local governance capacity in Indonesia. However, Smart Village implementation often faces challenges related to policy coordination, institutional capacity, digital inequality, and collaborative governance within decentralized governance systems. This study examines how Multi-Level Governance (MLG) dynamics shape Smart Village implementation in Central Java, Indonesia. This study employs a qualitative multi-case study approach focusing on Mojowarno, Candirejo, and Kemuning Villages. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field observations, and document analysis. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis to examine governance interaction, policy coordination, collaborative participation, and institutional adaptation within Smart Village implementation. The findings reveal different governance patterns across the selected villages. Mojowarno relied more strongly on hierarchical administrative coordination and formal bureaucratic supervision. In contrast, Candirejo developed collaborative governance arrangements involving tourism communities, universities, and youth organizations. Meanwhile, Kemuning reflected hybrid governance practices combining agricultural digitalization with external facilitation and local adaptation mechanisms. The findings further demonstrate that successful rural digital transformation depends not only on technological infrastructure but also on governance capacity, digital literacy, institutional flexibility, and collaborative participation. This study contributes to Multi-Level Governance scholarship by demonstrating the coexistence of hierarchical coordination and collaborative governance networks within Smart Village development. The findings indicate that Smart Village implementation in Indonesia reflects governance hybridity characterized by continuous interaction between formal governmental structures and network-based collaboration across multiple governance levels.

How to Cite

Ladini, M., Yuwono, T., & Yuwanto. (2026). MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE IN THE MAKING OF SMART VILLAGES: POLICY ALIGNMENT AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIA. ACTA INNOVATIONS, 61, 29–38. https://doi.org/10.62441/actainnovations.vi.628
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS) BibTeX

References

  1. Agomor, K. S., Mensah, J. K., & Boateng, F. D. (2025). Digital governance and rural transformation in developing countries: A multi-level perspective. Journal of Rural Studies, 98, 102–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.01.005.
  2. Brandsen, T., & Honingh, M. (2018). Definitions of co-production and co-creation. Public Management Review, 20(3), 369–389. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2017.1322726.
  3. Carey, J. M., & Shugart, M. S. (1995). Incentives to cultivate a personal vote: A rank ordering of electoral formulas. Electoral Studies, 14(4), 417–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-3794(94)00035-2.
  4. Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2003). Unraveling the central state, but how? Types of multi-level governance. American Political Science Review, 97(2), 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055403000649.
  5. Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2010). Multi-level governance and European integration. Rowman & Littlefield.
  6. Kementerian Desa, Pembangunan Daerah Tertinggal, dan Transmigrasi Republik Indonesia. (2020). Roadmap Smart Village Indonesia 2020–2024. Jakarta: Kemendes PDTT.
  7. Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
  8. Norris, D. F. (2014). Digital governance: Policies and practices in public administration. Routledge.
  9. Ostrom, E. (1996). Crossing the great divide: Coproduction, synergy, and development. World Development, 24(6), 1073–1087. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(96)00023-X.
  10. Rahmawati, D., & Mujani, S. (2022). Digital governance and village innovation in decentralized Indonesia. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 53(4), 623–641. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022463422000347.
  11. Tapsell, R. (2022). Digital media and governance in Southeast Asia. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 44(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1355/cs44-1a.
  12. Van Aelst, P., & Walgrave, S. (2017). Information and arena: The dual function of the news media for political elites. Journal of Communication, 67(3), 341–361. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12300.
  13. Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.