Organizational conditions required to implement RPA in local government: Insights from a Swedish case study

摘要

Automation of administrative work, using Robotic Process Automation (RPA), has been highlighted as something that can help Swedish municipalities to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The use of RPA in Swedish municipalities is still in its infancy, and much can be learned from the experiences made so far. In this paper, we present an overview of the findings from a four-year case study investigating RPA development, implementation, and use in Swedish municipalities. The aim of the paper is to describe the general drive to implement RPA in Swedish municipalities, the intended uses of RPA in this context, and challenges experienced as part of RPA implementation. Based on this description, we outline a set of organizational conditions required to work with RPA in local government. Our findings illustrate that process automation is only partly about technology. The main focus in process automation must be on mapping and developing processes and routines. RPA-technology is best seen as a tool and not as an end in itself. It is therefore important to develop the employees' abilities and knowledge regarding both processes and automation, so that the employees can drive the development forward based on the challenges and opportunities that arise in their practical work.