Organisations have started to implement Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to improve process efficiency and to advance business process management (BPM) practise. However, literature tends to study RPA from a limited technical view and thus, we have not yet gained a sufficient understanding of how RPA advances BPM practises. To mitigate this gap, we conduct a literature review and analyse 13 reported cases of RPA through the lens of technology as routine capability (Swanson 2019). The results indicate that a few early adopters have implemented RPA. RPA creates new “machine” routines and become integral of humans’ new routines. RPA as routine capability does advance practises in individual, organisational and social levels though we only have evidence from the 13 cases found in literature. The evidence also indicates that changes of RPA are intertwined in the four modes: design, execution, diffusion and shift. The research contributes to a deeper understanding of how RPA changes and cultivate routine capability and advanced BPM practises. In addition, we apply and critically examine technology as routine capability as the analytical framework for understanding how RPA advance BPM practise.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) adoption is increasing in the public sector for improving the quality and the efficiency of public services. However, we have not yet gained a sufficient understanding of how RPA advances public service practices and process routines in public organizations. To mitigate this gap, we conducted a literature review and analyzed eight reported cases of RPA in public sector organizations through the lens of technology as routine capability (Swanson 2019). The results indicate that most of the cases are from the public sector in the Nordic countries, e.g., Sweden, Norway, and Finland. RPA creates new “machine” routines and becomes integral to humans’ new routines in public service’s processes and practices. RPA as routine capability advanced practices at individual, organizational, and social levels. The evidence also indicated that changes triggered by RPA were intertwined in the four modes of routine capability: design, execution, diffusion, and shift. The research contributed to a deeper understanding of how RPA changes and cultivates routine capability and advances public service practices. In addition, we applied and critically examined technology as routine capability as the analytical framework for understanding how RPA advanced public service practices.

Book cover International Conference on Electronic Government EGOV 2022: Electronic Government pp 336–352Cite as Adoption of Robotic Process Automation in the Public Sector: A Survey Study in Sweden Gustaf Juell-Skielse, Evrim Oya Güner & Shengnan Han Conference paper First Online: 30 August 2022 407 Accesses Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS,volume 13391) Abstract The public sector has increased its use of robotic process automation (RPA) in administration, decision making and citizen services. Available studies mostly focused on the specific cases of using RPA in public organizations. Thus, we lack the helicopter view of the adoption of RPA in a country. In this paper, we present the results of a national survey of RPA adoption in the public sector in Sweden. The results show that the awareness of RPA is high in the Swedish public sector although the level of adoption is still modest. Also, there are notable differences in the level of adoption between central and local government. The study goes beyond the limitations of case studies, and contribute new knowledge of RRA adoption, benefits, routine capability and governance on a national level. The knowledge and insights can serve as a reference for other countries and public administrative models.

Public organizations are adopting Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to enhance process performance. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding how RPA specifically advances routine practices in public organizations, particularly in developing countries. To address this research gap, we conducted an interpretive case study in Turkey, focusing on the implementation of RPA from the perspective of technology as routine capability. Our findings reveal that the case organization has advanced its practices by leveraging RPA affordances, implementing effective governance mechanisms, and developing automation capabilities. This research contributes unique contextual insights into the implementation of RPA within a public organization situated in a developing country. The empirical evidence demonstrates the transformative impact of RPA on organizational practices and provides guidance for optimizing RPA governance practices and sustaining RPA-enabled automation capabilities. This study offers practical implications for public organizations aiming to leverage RPA as part of their broader digital transformation initiatives.

This study investigates the impact of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) on the development of routine capabilities and practice changes within public organizations. Drawing on the theoretical lens of technology as routine capability, we conducted case studies at two Swedish public universities. Our findings reveal that the implementation of RPA, conceptualized as a routine capability, fostered the emergence of automation practices within these institutions despite their differing implementation experiences. We identified practice changes across four key dimensions: design, execution, diffusion, and shift. This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge on RPA by offering detailed empirical insights into how it has advanced practices, induced organizational changes, and identified challenges that require further exploration. This research offers practical implications for public organizations managing RPA-triggered organizational transformations towards automation.

Scaling Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in public organizations presents governance challenges, yet existing research remains largely private sector oriented. This paper explores RPA governance through case studies in public organizations in Turkey and Sweden. The analysis provides contextual insights into how public organizations experiment with and adapt governance structures during RPA scaling. The study shows that governance choices are contingent on factors such as the complexity of RPA systems, the maturity of automation initiatives, and the institutional context of public administration. The Turkish case exhibits a stable, IT-led centralized model while the Swedish case demonstrates a development from decentralized, innovative experimentation to a more coordinated governance supported by a Center of Excellence. The paper contributes new knowledge to e-government and information systems research, enhancing the understanding of RPA governance in public organizations. Rather than offering generalizable prescriptions, this paper positions its contributions as exploratory lessons learned from public sector cases. These insights lay the groundwork for future research on digital government automation and offer practitioners considerations for establishing a foundation to align governance arrangements with technological, organizational, and contextual conditions.