Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, and Crisis Response Outcomes in European Public Administration: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda

Abstract

The rising number and the complexity of crises in Europe, including the COVID-19 pandemic, migration, and cybersecurity threats, have accelerated the adoption of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) in public administration. This paper is a systematic literature review (SLR) of 58 academic sources examining the effect of digital transformation and AI on crisis response outcomes in European public administration. Records were identified in Scopus and Web of Science, complemented by supplementary sources, and critically appraised through a two-step procedure based on the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The review integrates major themes such as the evolution of digital governance, AI-enabled decision-making, performance in crisis management, and institutional resilience. Gains in efficiency, coordination, and responsiveness are widely reported, but the appraisal shows that they rest on a thin evidential base—one quasi-experimental study, no longitudinal designs, and twenty non-empirical records—while governance, accountability, ethical, and institutional-capacity problems persist. The article reveals significant gaps in research and suggests a broad research agenda in the future with emphasis on theoretical, methodological, and policy aspects. The paper contributes to the emerging digital-era governance literature and offers recommendations for policymakers and researchers.