Beyond Symbolic Government Branding: An Integrative Model of Public Trust in Indonesia's Digital Building Certification Services (SLF)

Florentina Ratih  Wulandari; Dwi Putranto  Riau; Abdurrahman Rahim  Thaha

doi:10.58524/smartsoc.v6i2.954

Authors

Florentina Ratih Wulandari Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
Dwi Putranto Riau Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
Abdurrahman Rahim Thaha Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58524/smartsoc.v6i2.954

Keywords:

Government Branding, Public Trust, Public Value, Substantive Credibility, SIMBG, Certificate of Occupancy (SLF)

Abstract

Background: The digitalization of public regulatory services does not automatically strengthen public trust, participation, or regulatory compliance. In Indonesia, the Building Management Information System (SIMBG) supports the Certificate of Occupancy (SLF) process, yet certification outcomes remain influenced by users’ service experiences, communication quality, institutional credibility, and broader administrative conditions. This study examines government branding as a substantive service-based mechanism rather than merely a symbolic communication strategy.

Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase involved 300 SIMBG users from Sidoarjo, Semarang, and Bandung selected through purposive sampling and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The qualitative phase used semi-structured interviews and document analysis to explain and contextualize the quantitative findings.

Findings: Public participation showed the strongest positive relationship with SIMBG adoption (β = 0.766), followed by communication quality (β = 0.562). SIMBG adoption was also strongly associated with SLF ownership (β = 0.712). Qualitative findings indicated that procedural transparency, communication clarity, responsive assistance, and consistency between government messages and actual service delivery shaped perceptions of institutional credibility. Technical assessment costs, limited availability of qualified experts, document revisions, and other non-platform requirements remained important barriers to certification completion.

Conclusion: Effective digital building certification depends not only on technological availability but also on credible government-user relationships and a supportive certification ecosystem. Government branding becomes substantively credible when messages of convenience, transparency, and professionalism are reinforced by actual service performance.

Novelty/Originality: This study positions SIMBG as a digital service-based brand touchpoint linking participation, communication quality, platform adoption, SLF completion, and public value.

References

Abdulkareem, A. K., & Ramli, R. M. (2022). Does trust in e-government influence the performance of e-government? An integration of information system success model and public value theory. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 16(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-01-2021-0001

AbdulKareem, A. K., & Oladimeji, K. A. (2024). Cultivating the digital citizen: Trust, digital literacy and e-government adoption. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 18(2), 270–286. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-11-2023-0196

Alon-Barkat, S. (2020). Can government public communications elicit undue trust? Exploring the interaction between symbols and substantive information in communications. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 30(1), 77–95. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muz013

Ariansyah, K., Muttaqin, M., Pusvita, V., Takariani, C. S. D., Darmanto, D., Budhirianto, S., & Nuryana, M. (2026). Revisiting e-government and public trust relationship: Does higher maturity of e-government promote greater trust in public officials? Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 20(2), 374–394. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-07-2025-0219

Asmawanti-Sa, D., Afiah, N. N., Ritchi, H., & Suharman, H. (2025). Literature review of government digital services based on public value theory and citizen perspectives. Cogent Business & Management, 12(1), 2518494. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2025.2518494

Eshuis, J., van de Geest, T., Klijn, E. H., Voets, J., Florek, M., & George, B. (2021). The effect of the EU-brand on citizens’ trust in policies: Replicating an experiment. Public Administration Review, 81(4), 776–786. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13367

Fadrial, R., Sujianto, Simanjuntak, H. T. R. F., Wirman, W., & Wibowo, W. S. (2024). Fostering trust through bytes: Unravelling the impact of e-government on public trust in Indonesian local government. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management, 19, Article 15. https://doi.org/10.28945/5317

Fauth, J., Pasetti Monizza, G., & Malacarne, G. (2023). Understanding processes on digital building permits: A case study in South Tyrol. Building Research & Information, 51(5), 518–532. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2023.2178372

Guler, D., & Yomralioglu, T. (2022). Reviewing the literature on the tripartite cycle containing digital building permit, 3D city modeling, and 3D property ownership. Land Use Policy, 121, 106337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106337

Hutahaean, M., Eunike, I. J., & Silalahi, A. D. K. (2023). Do social media, good governance, and public trust increase citizens’ e-government participation? Dual approach of PLS-SEM and fsQCA. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2023, 9988602. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/9988602

Le, A. D., Pham, L., Cha, J., Ho, H., Zúñiga, M. Á., & Mollick, J. (2026). E-government success: The role of service quality, perceived value, trust, and satisfaction. International Journal of Electronic Government Research, 22(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJEGR.411889

Luna, D. E., Picazo-Vela, S., Buyannemekh, B., & Luna-Reyes, L. F. (2024). Creating public value through digital service delivery from a citizen’s perspective. Government Information Quarterly, 41(2), 101928. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2024.101928

MacLean, D., & Titah, R. (2022). A systematic literature review of empirical research on the impacts of e-government: A public value perspective. Public Administration Review, 82(1), 23–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13413

Mansoor, M. (2021). Citizens’ trust in government as a function of good governance and government agency’s provision of quality information on social media during COVID-19. Government Information Quarterly, 38(4), 101597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101597

Mensah, I. K., Zeng, G., & Mwakapesa, D. S. (2022). Understanding the drivers of the public value of e-government: Validation of a public value e-government adoption model. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 962615. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.962615

Noardo, F., Guler, D., Fauth, J., Malacarne, G., Mastrolembo Ventura, S., Azenha, M., Olsson, P.-O., & Senger, L. (2022). Unveiling the actual progress of digital building permit: Getting awareness through a critical state of the art review. Building and Environment, 213, 108854. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.108854

Pauluzzo, R., Fedele, P., Dokalskaya, I., & Garlatti, A. (2024). The role of digital technologies in public sector coproduction and co-creation: A structured literature review. Financial Accountability & Management, 40(4), 613–640. https://doi.org/10.1111/faam.12391

Pham, L., Limbu, Y. B., Le, M. T. T., & Nguyen, N. L. (2023). E-government service quality, perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty: Evidence from a newly emerging country. Journal of Public Policy, 43(4), 812–833. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0143814X23000296

Pramuditha, R., Muhafidin, D., Sumaryana, A., Susanti, E., & Avianto, B. N. (2026). Towards enhanced citizen trust: The impact of e-Gov service quality on citizen satisfaction in the digital age. Electronic Government, an International Journal, 22(3), 277–300. https://doi.org/10.1504/EG.2026.153478

Riau, D. P., Thaha, A. R., Aisyah, S., Wulandari, F. R., Siswahyudi, D., & Pamungkas, G. B. (2026). Managing compliance in digital building certification systems: User intention, platform usability, and SLF participation in Indonesia. Journal of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, 5(2), 233–248. https://doi.org/10.56578/jemse050206

Scupola, A., & Mergel, I. (2022). Co-production in digital transformation of public administration and public value creation: The case of Denmark. Government Information Quarterly, 39(1), 101650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101650

Sharma, S., Kar, A. K., & Gupta, M. P. (2024). Untangling the web between digital citizen empowerment, accountability and quality of participation experience for e-government: Lessons from India. Government Information Quarterly, 41(3), 101964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2024.101964

Stevens, V., Klijn, E. H., & Warsen, R. (2021). Branding as a public governance strategy: A Q methodological analysis of how companies react to place branding strategies. Public Administration Review, 81(4), 752–762. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13263

Taufiqurokhman, T., Satispi, E., Andriansyah, A., Murod, M., & Sulastri, E. (2024). The impact of e-service quality on public trust and public satisfaction in e-government public services. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 8(2), 765–772. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2024.1.002

Virtanen, P., & Jalonen, H. (2024). Public value creation mechanisms in the context of public service logic: An integrated conceptual framework. Public Management Review, 26(8), 2331–2354. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2023.2268111

Zavattaro, S. M., & Eshuis, J. (2021). Public administration in the reputation era: A conceptual exploration. Public Administration Quarterly, 45(4), 418–438. https://doi.org/10.37808/paq.45.4.4

Zavattaro, S. M., Marland, A., & Eshuis, J. (2021). Public branding and marketing: Theoretical and practical developments. Public Administration Review, 81(4), 728–730. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13372