Adoption of Collaborative Technology to Enhance Master Data Quality Across Municipal Administrations - Identifying Drivers and Barriers

In recent years, software for collaborative improvement of master data quality has been increasingly introduced into public administration. With the support of this collaborative software, master data is not only managed by one stakeholder such as an individual or department but rather cross-institutionally and across departments by groups of several stakeholders, e.g. several municipal authorities. In this paper, based on the Technology-Organization-Environment Framework, both driving forces as well as obstacles were identified, which influenced the adoption of such collaborative software. The results show, that positive factors concerning the adoption are perceived barriers, presence and importance of data standards as well as the successful implementation into the existing environment, whereas a complex IT-infrastructure impedes an introduction

Innovation Policy Roadmapping for the Future Finnish Smart City Digital Twins : Towards Finland National Digital Twin Programme

Smart City Digital Twins (SCDTs) emerge as a transforming concept with the ability to redefine the future of cities in the fast-paced evolving landscape of urban development. This qualitative futures research explores thoroughly into the complex interaction of socio-technical dynamics in the Finnish setting, investigating the several ways SCDTs might revolutionise urban spaces and create resilience. By utilizing Innovation Policy Roadmapping (IPRM) method for the first time on SCDTs, it reveals the diverse capacities of SCDTs across domains such as urban planning, scenario developing, What-IF analysis, and public involvement through a rigorous examination of academic literature and multi-level analysis of expert interviews. The research emphasises the critical role of policymakers and sectoral actors in building an environment that allows Finnish SCDTs to survive in the face of technological improvements. Furthermore, it emphasises the convergence of SCDTs and Futures Studies approaches, giving a visionary path to adaptable and forward-thinking urban futures. The contributions of this study extend beyond the scope of Finnish SCDTs, giving inspiration for sustainable smart city transformations, potential foundational insights towards Finland National Digital Twin Programme and paving the way for the incorporation of futures studies methodologies and digital twins to mitigate uncertainties and create resilient urban futures. Longitudinal impact assessments, real-time citizen-centric foresight applications via SCDT, and the investigation of SCDTs' role in disaster mitigation and social well-being are among the identified future research directions, providing a comprehensive roadmap for leveraging SCDTs as transformative tools for building sustainable urban futures

FROM URBAN LIVING LAB TO URBAN TRANSFORMATION

openQuesta ricerca approfondisce la crescente rilevanza globale del passaggio verso la sostenibilità nelle città, sottolineando le sfide con cui le amministrazioni locali si confrontano. Prendendo spunto dall'esperienza dell'autore in progetti finanziati dall'UE, lo studio si concentra sul Comune di Maia, con l'obiettivo di chiarire gli ostacoli e le strategie essenziali per raggiungere la sostenibilità urbana. Esamina l'iniziativa BaZe-Maia Living Lab, volta alla decarbonizzazione, mettendo in evidenza le complessità nell'attuare soluzioni ispirate ai living lab, soprattutto in considerazione di sfide come l'epidemia di COVID-19. Inoltre, l'alleanza di Maia con il consorzio SPARCS e la creazione del Piano d'Azione per l'Energia Sostenibile (SEAP) evidenziano i loro passi collettivi per modificare le abitudini urbane, aumentare l'efficienza energetica e ridurre al minimo gli sprechi. Questa esplorazione cerca di identificare gli elementi centrali che guidano tali sforzi, mettendo in luce gli ostacoli e suggerendo soluzioni. L'obiettivo principale è rafforzare la diffusione della conoscenza e integrare pratiche sostenibili innovative nel percorso di pianificazione urbana di Maia. La metodologia dello studio si basa su tecniche qualitative come interviste, analisi documentale e l'utilizzo del modello Morgenstadt per valutare le iniziative verdi di Maia, confrontandole con Lipsia. Un'analisi tematica dei documenti del progetto e delle opinioni degli stakeholder indica l'approccio proattivo di Maia alla co-progettazione, al coinvolgimento degli stakeholder, agli esperimenti e all'integrazione degli aspetti legati alla sostenibilità. Tuttavia, emergono difficoltà nell'avviare attività di co-progettazione e nel raggiungere gli obiettivi verdi strutturali. Un'analisi comparativa con Lipsia offre spunti illuminanti riguardo alla cooperazione completa, alla flessibilità, alle strategie finanziarie e alle visioni lungimiranti benefiche per Maia. Le principali raccomandazioni includono l'adozione di regolamenti completi, l'ampliamento dell'interazione degli stakeholder, il potenziamento delle capacità organizzative, il sfruttamento di collaborazioni esterne e risorse, l'istituzione di solide infrastrutture dati e la promozione delle innovazioni tecnologiche. Tuttavia, le difficoltà persistenti derivano dalla compartimentazione dei dipartimenti, dal coinvolgimento limitato e dalla visione della sostenibilità limitata all'ambito digitale. Questa indagine offre una comprensione più approfondita degli elementi diversificati che guidano i cambiamenti urbani verdi e fornisce una guida per superare gli ostacoli nella diffusione dei living lab. Ulteriori studi mirati potrebbero colmare le lacune osservate riguardo alle realizzazioni della co-progettazione e alle ristrutturazioni edilizie. La ricerca chiarisce l'intricato intreccio negli sforzi urbani verdi, sottolineando l'importanza di approcci unificati, coinvolgimento inclusivo degli stakeholder e rafforzamento delle capacità per indurre cambiamenti su vasta scala.This research delves into the escalating global relevance of transitioning towards sustainability in cities, underscoring the hurdles local administrations grapple with. Drawing from the author's involvement in projects funded by the EU, the study centers on the Municipality of Maia, aiming to clarify the obstacles and essential strategies for achieving urban sustainability. It examines the BaZe-Maia Living Lab initiative, which aims for decarbonization, highlighting the intricacies of enacting living lab-inspired solutions, especially given challenges like the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, Maia's alliance with the SPARCS consortium and the crafting of the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) underscore their collective steps to modify urban habits, boost energy thriftiness, and minimize waste. This exploration seeks to identify the central elements guiding such endeavors, spotlighting impediments and suggesting solutions. The overarching goal is to fortify the dissemination of knowledge and weave groundbreaking sustainable practices into Maia's urban planning path. The methodology of the study hinges on qualitative techniques such as interviews, scrutinizing documents, and using the Morgenstadt blueprint to evaluate Maia's green undertakings, contrasting them with Leipzig. A thematic breakdown of project paperwork and the views of stakeholders indicates Maia's proactive approach to co-design, stakeholder involvement, trials, and integrating sustainability aspects. However, hitches emerge when initiating co-design activities and meeting structural green targets. A side-by-side analysis with Leipzig offers enlightening takeaways about all-encompassing cooperation, flexibility, financial strategies, and forward-thinking visions beneficial for Maia. Principal suggestions encompass the rollout of all-inclusive regulations, amplifying stakeholder interaction, fortifying organizational capabilities, capitalizing on outside collaborations and resources, instituting sturdy data infrastructures, and championing tech advancements. Yet, enduring difficulties arise from departmental silos, limited involvement, and viewing sustainability solely through a digital lens. This investigation offers a deeper understanding of the diverse elements steering green urban shifts and furnishes a blueprint to navigate roadblocks in living lab rollouts. More pinpointed studies might bridge observed voids concerning co-design realizations and building overhauls. The research clarifies the intricate interplay in urban green endeavors, emphasizing the value of unified approaches, inclusive stakeholder involvement, and strengthening capabilities to induce broad-based alterations

Governing Integrated Water Resources Management: Mutual Learning and Policy Transfer

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) has become a global paradigm for the governance of surface, coastal and groundwaters. This Special Issue contains twelve articles related to the transfer of IWRM policy principles. The articles explore three dimensions of transfer—causes, processes, outcomes—and offer a theoretically inspiring, methodologically rich and geographically diverse engagement with IWRM policy transfer around the globe. As such, they can also productively inform a future research agenda on the ‘dimensional’ aspects of IWRM governance. Regarding the causes, the contributions apply, criticise, extend or revise existing approaches to policy transfer in a water governance context, asking why countries adopt IWRM principles and what mechanisms are in place to understand the adoption of these principles in regional or national contexts. When it comes to processes, articles in this Special Issue unpack the process of policy transfer and implementation and explore how IWRM principles travel across borders, levels and scales. Finally, this set of papers looks into the outcomes of IWRM policy transfer and asks what impact IWRM principles, once implemented, gave on domestic water governance, water quality and water supply, and how effective IWRM is at addressing critical water issues in specific countries

E-Governance: Strategy for Mitigating Non-Inclusion of Citizens in Policy Making in Nigeria

The Nigerian federation that currently has 36 states structure adopted the Weberian Public Administrative system before now as an ideal way of running government, which was characterized with the traditional way of doing things without recourse to the deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Today e-governance is seen as a paradigm shift from the previous way of governance. Research has shown that, the adoption and implementation of e-governance is more likely to bring about effective service delivery, mitigate corruption and ultimately enhance citizens’ participation in governmental affairs. However, it has been argued that infrastructure such as regular electricity power and access to the Internet, in addition to a society with high rate of literacy level are required to effectively implement and realize the potentials of e-governance for improved delivery of services. Due to the difficulties currently experienced, developing nations need to adequately prepare for the implementation of e-governance on the platform of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Hence, this study seeks to examine whether the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the context of Nigeria would mitigate the hitherto non-inclusion of citizens in the formulation and implementation of government policies aimed at enhanced development. To achieve the objective of the study, data were sourced and analyzed majorly by examining government websites of 20 states in the Nigerian federation to ascertain if there are venues for citizens to interact with government in the area of policy making and feedback on government actions, as a way of promoting participatory governance. The study revealed that the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the country is yet to fully take place. This is due to lack of infrastructure, low level of literacy rate and government inability to provide the necessary infrastructure for e-governance to materialize. The paper therefore, recommends among others the need for the Federal Government to involve a sound and clear policy on how to go about the adoption and implementation of egovernance through deliberate effort at increasing budgetary allocation towards infrastructural development and mass education of citizens

The Impact of e-Democracy in Political Stability of Nigeria

The history of the Nigerian electoral process has been hitherto characterized by violence stemming from disputes in election outcomes. For instance, violence erupted across some states in Northern Nigeria when results indicated that a candidate who was popular in that part of the country was losing the election leading to avoidable loss of lives. Beside, this dispute in election outcome lingers for a long time in litigation at the electoral tribunals which distracts effective governance. However, the increasing penetrating use of ICTs in Nigeria is evident in the electoral processes with consequent shift in the behavior of actors in the democratic processes, thus changing the ways Nigerians react to election outcomes. This paper examines the trend in the use ICT in the Nigerian political system and its impact on the stability of the polity. It assesses the role of ICT in recent electoral processes and compares its impact on the outcome of the process in lieu of previous experiences in the Nigeria. Furthermore, the paper also examines the challenges and risks of implementing e-Democracy in Nigeria and its relationship to the economy in the light of the socio-economic situation of the country. The paper adopted qualitative approach in data gathering and analysis. From the findings, the paper observed that e-democracy is largely dependent on the level of ICT adoption, which is still at its lowest ebb in the country. It recognizes the challenges in the provision of ICT infrastructure and argues that appropriate low-cost infrastructure applicable to the Nigerian condition can be made available to implement e-democracy and thus arouse the interest of the populace in governance, increase the number of voters, and enhance transparency, probity and accountability, and participation in governance as well as help stabilize the nascent democrac

Opportunities and Barriers for Truck Platooning on Norwegian Rural Freight Routes

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Transitioning to Sustainable Civil Infrastructure Systems: Green Stormwater Management and Engineering Design Thinking

Green infrastructure has been endorsed by many practitioners and organizations as a more sustainable approach to stormwater management. Decisions on how to best design municipal green infrastructure systems can be complicated by factors such as uncertainties about the performance and public acceptance of particular technologies. Thus, deciding how to design sustainable stormwater management systems requires engineers not only to reflect upon the fundamental principles used to conceptualize their designs, but also to consider how a broad array of social, economic, and environmental factors both influence and are influenced by their work. This thesis examines factors that influence the design and adoption of sustainable civil infrastructure systems in two research areas: (1) municipal stormwater management decisions in the United States, and (2) student understanding of engineering design principles. The objective of this thesis is to identify elements of engineering design and related decision-making processes that can provide engineers, stormwater management stakeholders, and engineering educators with lessons and tools that can advance the sustainable development of stormwater management systems. One challenge to understanding how particular factors may lead to sustainable outcomes is devising a tractable way to organize and document them. Using observations from national meetings and an extensive literature review, I develop a social-ecological framework for identifying factors that condition the adoption of green infrastructure technologies by stormwater management authorities. Findings from this work demonstrate a need to more fully develop robust descriptions of technological attributes within a social-ecological framework for urban stormwater systems, particularly for technology decision-making activities such as green infrastructure adoption. Understanding past outcomes of engineering planning within a particular context can provide useful insight for future decision-making. I conduct a case study on the evolution of stormwater management planning in Onondaga County, New York between 1998 and 2009, in which plans for certain unpopular gray infrastructure technologies were eventually replaced in part by a large-scale green infrastructure program. I find that the adoption of this program was driven by an alignment of several sociopolitical factors, including the presence of a policy entrepreneurship coalition in support of alternative stormwater management plans, the election of a key political official who acknowledged the needs of local stakeholders, and a shift in mindset of local and national officials as to what technologies are effective for stormwater management. A growing number of U.S. cities are adopting green infrastructure programs for stormwater management, particularly for combined sewer overflow mitigation. Viewing green infrastructure program adoption in combined sewer communities as a policy innovation, I develop an empirical model to differentiate factors associated with a sewer management authority’s binary decision to adopt or not adopt a large-scale green infrastructure program, and factors associated with decisions related to the extent of planned program implementation. This study finds that the binary decision to adopt a municipal green infrastructure program for combined sewer overflow management is largely driven by municipal population size and precipitation characteristics, while the extent of program implementation is also driven by socioeconomic characteristics of municipal residents and the amount of total capital needs required to achieve combined sewer overflow compliance. Engineers must be able to mathematically model the complexities of fundamental physical processes within real systems, such as green infrastructure systems for stormwater management. Many engineering processes are built upon fundamental concepts of mass and energy balances, in which mathematical models are used to analyze rates of change and accumulated quantities across system boundaries of interest. The Rate and Accumulation Concept Inventory (RACI) is an assessment tool that I developed to measure students’ mathematical and physical understandings of such concepts. I use data from an administration of the RACI (N=305) to assess evidence of the tool’s validity and reliability through structural equation modeling and multidimensional item response theory. Validity and reliability evidence indicates that the RACI can appropriately be used to measure students’ overall understanding of rate and accumulation processes. Case-based teaching methods have been suggested as a best practice for introducing students to ethical decision-making scenarios. By sensitizing future engineers to the concerns of stakeholders who are impacted by engineering decisions, educators can better prepare them to create designs that address social outcome criteria such as welfare and justice. Using case study findings related to stakeholder concerns and engineering decisions for stormwater management planning in Onondaga County, I develop a case-based teaching module on engineering decision-making for use in undergraduate civil and environmental engineering courses. Assessments from three years of module implementation demonstrate that the module can be used to meet multiple learning objectives and enhance student understanding of stakeholder engagement principles

Sustainable user-driven innovation supporting Open Government policies- A System Dynamics perspective applied to the Municipality of Palermo-

Going beyond a technocratic e-government paradigm, this research aims at analyzing how, through the two-ways interaction supported by Web 2.0 technology, skilled external collaboration and knowledge-sharing between citizens and public administrations can offer new ways of citizen participation, enhancing political decision-making process and public value creation. Particularly, the purpose is to investigate how skilled citizens can serve as contributors to tasks that are traditionally performed by designated civil servants and now are outsourced to an undefined, generally large group of people, in the form of an open call for contributions. To this end, we have conducted a field research in order to identify and evaluate what is currently taking place in the Municipality of Palermo in the framework of citizen sourcing which may be realized by enhancing sharing knowledge and information flows through citizen engagement in order to reach a sustainable service improvement and therefore build or restore trust in local government. In the framework of Performance Management, the System Dynamics perspective will be followed with the aim of supporting municipal management to keep under control key-variables driving performance in the ongoing open innovation process