Good Governance in Policy Communication Governance for the Improvement of Digital Public Services

Abstract

This article aims to analyze culture-based leadership in public service in West Java by placing Dedi Mulyadi's leadership model as a conceptual case study. The main focus of this study is how local cultural values, cultural symbols, direct communication, mutual cooperation, and the closeness of leaders to the community can contribute to strengthening public services and local governance. This study uses a qualitative-descriptive approach with a case study method based on literature review and document analysis. The analytical framework is built from the theories of cultural leadership, symbolic leadership, public service, quality of public services, social capital, and sound governance. The results of the study show that culture-based leadership can play a role as a socio-administrative instrument that connects local values with the needs of modern public services. In the context of West Java, the cultural leadership model is seen through three main dimensions, namely the symbolic dimension, the value dimension, and the social dimension. These three dimensions have the potential to strengthen public trust, expand citizens' access to communication, increase community participation, and encourage bureaucracy to be more responsive to public needs. This study concludes that culture-based leadership can be the foundation for sound governance if cultural values do not stop as symbols, but are translated into a fast, accountable, inclusive, transparent, and equitable service system.