Vo Thi Cam Tu

Thu Dau Mot University

DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i7n23

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ABSTRACT

Digital transformation has become a critical priority for improving public service delivery; however, the effectiveness of online public services depends not only on technological infrastructure but also on the digital competencies of civil servants who operate digital government systems. This study examines the effects of civil servants’ digital competence dimensions on the effectiveness of online public service delivery in ward-level local government agencies in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Drawing on the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) and the Resource-Based View (RBV), this study develops a research model consisting of five dimensions of digital competence: digital awareness, information and data literacy, digital tools and systems skills, digital communication and collaboration, and information safety and security. A quantitative survey was conducted among 125 civil servants directly involved in administrative procedures and online public service delivery. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The findings indicate that all five dimensions of digital competence positively influence online public service delivery effectiveness, with information and data literacy showing the strongest effect, followed by information safety and security and digital tools and systems skills. The model explains 28.6% of the variance in online public service delivery effectiveness and demonstrates acceptable predictive capability. This study contributes to digital government research by highlighting digital competence as a multidimensional organizational capability and provides practical implications for developing targeted competency-based training programs for civil servants in local government.

KEYWORDS:

digital competence; civil servants; online public service delivery; digital government; local government; Vietnam

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Cite this Article: Tu, V. T. C. (2026). The Impact of Civil Servants’ Digital Competence on Online Public Service Delivery: Evidence from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE HUMANITY & MANAGEMENT RESEARCHS, 5(7), 2042-2054. https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i7n23

VOLUME 05 ISSUE 07 July 2026