Administrative Digital Accessibility as an Opportunity for Rural Development—Case Study: The Peri-Urban Area of Bucharest

Andrei Ducman, Camelia Teodorescu () and Ana-Irina Lequeux-Dincă ()
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Andrei Ducman: Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010401 Bucharest, Romania
Camelia Teodorescu: Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010401 Bucharest, Romania
Ana-Irina Lequeux-Dincă: Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010401 Bucharest, Romania

Economies, 2025, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-29

Abstract: Administrative digital accessibility drives rural development, particularly in peri-urban areas where traditional governance meets the growing demands for digital services. The study examines the role of digital tools in local administrations in supporting citizen engagement and responsiveness in communes near Bucharest. A composite digital maturity index was created, utilizing indicators such as website usability, social media presence, integration with national platforms, and administrative transparency. Building on this framework, results reveal pronounced disparities. Dobroești (79 points) and Jilava (69 points) emerge as digital leaders, demonstrating advanced online services and structured communication. In contrast, communes such as Chiajna, Clinceni, and Tunari show limited digital adoption, with four out of eleven communes scoring below 50. This highlights significant inconsistencies in digital implementation. These disparities are further reflected in the findings, which indicate the absence of a coherent regional digital strategy. Each commune operates independently, without a standardized approach to digitalization, resulting in fragmented infrastructures and uneven citizen engagement. High performance in one area does not guarantee broader digital inclusion. These insights underscore the need for targeted policies that respect local priorities while promoting harmonized digital capacities across peri-urban communes, ensuring equitable access to digital public services and fostering inclusive administrative modernization.

Keywords: e-government; smart rural communities; digital governance; rural development; territorial digitalization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E F I J O Q (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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