Abstract
Originating in the private sector, digital transformation has since been heralded by governments and other stakeholders as an inevitable and desirable path for citizens to thrive in the digital age. Digital transformation efforts are increasingly leading to public services being delivered as ‘digital first’ or ‘digital by default’. However, such an approach may have unintended consequences and risk excluding some members of society who are unable or unwilling to interact digitally with government. In this paper, we draw on the concept of institutional logics to critically analyse the dominant discourse of digital transformation in the New Zealand public sector. In doing so, we unpack the logic underpinning government digital transformation initiatives that are increasingly leading to the digital delivery of public services in many countries, including the UK.