Regional Development and the Role of Public Sector Digital Maturity

The aim of this publication is to establish the digital maturity of public structures in Bulgaria based on empirical research and the application of a model adapted for public administration. The obtained results were used to detect logical connections and study the impact of digital maturity on regional economic development. In this regard, two planning regions with the highest relative share of the survey’s response rate are further analyzed and compared. Key results were formulated through the methodology used, which included expert assessment, GAP analysis, comparative analysis, and a survey with a view to self-assessment according to specified criteria. In this regard, the conceptual framework of the study outlined an indirect relation between the degree of digital maturity of the analyzed regions and their economic development, consisting mainly in stimulating the investment ecosystem in the respective territory.