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cross-agency data sharing mechanisms, and standardized digital platforms that support
coordinated digital service delivery (Mergel et al., 2019; World Bank, 2025).
The third layer represents the institutional environment that supports the
deployment of artificial intelligence in governance. This layer includes regulatory
frameworks, innovation ecosystems, public trust in digital technologies, and governance
mechanisms that ensure accountability in AI applications (OECD, 2025; Iuga & Socol,
2024).
From this perspective, digital government development can be understood as a
progression across three interconnected capability layers: e-government foundations,
GovTech integration, and AI readiness. Examining these layers together allows for a more
comprehensive assessment of the structural conditions that shape the transition from
digital government toward AI-enabled governance.
3. Research methodology
This study employs a comparative descriptive analysis based on secondary data to
examine Vietnam’s position in the transition from e-government to AI-enabled public
governance. Rather than testing causal relationships between variables, the objective is
to assess Vietnam’s relative position within the evolving structure of digital governance
and to identify potential strategic gaps in its transition toward AI-enabled governance. A
descriptive and international comparative approach is therefore appropriate, particularly
when the analysis relies on global indices constructed using different methodologies.
Drawing on the analytical framework that combines the Technology–Organization–
Environment (TOE) model with Institutional Theory, the study conceptualizes digital
governance development through three interconnected capability layers. The first layer
represents e-government foundations, reflecting the development of digital
infrastructure, online public services, and societal digital capacity. The second layer
captures GovTech integration, which refers to the extent to which digital systems and
data governance are embedded in public sector operations. The third layer represents AI
readiness, reflecting institutional capacity, technological ecosystems, and governments’
ability to deploy artificial intelligence in governance processes. These layers correspond
respectively to the technological, organizational, and institutional dimensions of the TOE
framework.
To operationalize these dimensions, the study employs three widely recognized
international indices. The E-Government Development Index (EGDI) developed by the
United Nations measures the technological foundation of digital government through the
Online Service Index, Telecommunication Infrastructure Index, and Human Capital Index
(United Nations, 2024). The GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) published by the World Bank
evaluates the maturity of digital government systems across four components: Core
Government Systems and Infrastructure, Public Service Delivery, Digital Citizen
Engagement, and GovTech Enablers (Vasconcelos et al., 2025). In addition, the
Government AI Readiness Index developed by Oxford Insights assesses national
preparedness for deploying artificial intelligence in the public sector.
The analysis uses the most recent datasets from the UN E-Government Survey 2024,
the World Bank GovTech Maturity Index 2025, and the Government AI Readiness Index
2025. To ensure comparability across indices, all indicators are standardized onto a 0–1
scale. Since the AI Readiness Index is originally reported on a 0–100 scale, the composite
score is normalized by dividing it by 100. An integrated indicator is then calculated as the

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