Jakarta, May 18th, 2025 — Digital policy is not merely a product of technological advancement, but the outcome of evolving administrative paradigms. This was the main focus of the discussion held on May 16th – 17th 2025, in Jakarta, involving doctoral students from the Leadership and Policy Innovation Doctoral Program in (MDKIK), a collaboration class of the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi).
Facilitated by Prof. Dr. Agus Heruanto Hadna, M.Si, the session encouraged participants to deeply examine the paradigm shift in digital policy design—from the traditional Old Public Administration (OPA), characterized by proceduralism, bureaucracy, and hierarchy, to the New Public Management (NPM) approach, which emphasizes efficiency, performance outcomes, and market orientation.
“Today’s digital policy does not rely solely on bureaucratic procedures and control. It requires a more managerial, results-based approach. The NPM paradigm calls on governments to be more adaptive, efficient, and outcome-oriented,” explained Prof. Hadna.
One of the highlights of the discussion was the analysis of radio frequency spectrum governance as a concrete example of this paradigm shift. Under OPA, spectrum was fully controlled by the state and centrally managed for the public good. In contrast, under NPM, the spectrum has been commodified, assigned economic value, and can be legally traded through a transparent, regulated market mechanism.
This evolution reflects the changing role of the state—from merely an administrator to a regulator and facilitator of the digital market, tasked with creating flexible, accountable, and data-driven policy frameworks.
“The NPM approach to ICT policy allows for greater efficiency and innovation, but also demands strong governance to ensure alignment with public service goals,” noted one student during the discussion.
The discussion became more dynamic as participants actively shared critical perspectives and engaged in lively exchanges.
“This is a clear example of how managerial approaches are being applied to public assets. The state is no longer the sole controller, but rather the creator of ecosystems,” added another participant.
The field study served as a strategic platform for public officials and academics within Komdigi to integrate public administration theory with digital policy practices, while strengthening critical awareness of the shifting dynamics in Indonesia’s digital bureaucracy.
Author: Vivie Silvania Intan Nirmala