Communication Pathways in Multilevel Governance: A Review of Digital Innovation and Public Value
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: This study reviews communication pathways in multilevel governance, focusing on the role of digital innovation in shaping public value. The purpose was to examine how political communication is mediated digitally, how media technologies support governance innovation, and how digital channels contribute to public value through legitimacy, accountability, and trust. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using the PRISMA framework, narrowing an initial pool of studies to 12 recent, peer-reviewed articles. Thematic analysis identified three key areas: digital mediation of political communication, the role of media technologies in governance innovation, and public value creation. Findings indicate that digital tools enhance transparency, inclusiveness, and responsiveness but remain limited by structural capacity gaps, inequality, and weak feedback mechanisms. The results confirm that technology must be embedded within strong institutional frameworks to realize its full potential. The study contributes to theories of deliberative democracy, public value, and socio-technical systems by showing how digital communication reshapes governance relationships. Future research should expand cross-country and longitudinal comparisons to deepen understanding of evolving digital governance dynamics.
Source: Review of Communication Research
DOI: 10.52152/rcr.v13.s9
Authors: Xi Tang, Kex Zena Fillip
Institutions: Minzu University of China, University of Michigan
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414588736