Algorithmic governance in public sector: is digitization a key to effective management

While algorithmic governance in the public sector can lead to increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the implementation of those digital innovations can also result in multiple forms of harm: data bias can lead to reinforcement of inequality, discrimination, and criminalization of already marginalized populations; lack of accountability and transparency in decision-making can lead to injustices; societal trust and the legitimacy of public sector institutions may suffer; privacy and fundamental human rights may be threatened, ethical standards challenged. Digital transformation, leading to algorithmic governance, may be challenged in times of crisis, such as the recent pandemic outbreak, as new technologies in public sector institutions and forms of data-driven surveillance and intrusive monitoring are introduced in the name of public security and social need.  This research focuses in affirming the assumption that the effective management in the public sector, first of all, is determined by the ability of this sector to transform the perception of the services delivered; secondly, it requires strategic actions to enable the systemic and coherent digital transformation of the public sector; and lastly, the new strategies of human resources management in the public sector should be considered. The focus is concentrated on understanding how the implementation of digital tools to the public sector and public services correlate with algorithmic governance concept and what impact digitization has on the effectiveness of management in the public sector

The Effect of Digitalization on the Quality of Service and Customer Loyalty

This research aims to measure the effect of digitalization on service quality through the SERVQUAL model (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and customer loyalty. Also, we analyze the relationship between customer loyalty and their demographics. A quantitative method was used to achieve the objectives through a structured questionnaire, where part of the research sample was 400 clients of Kosovo banks. Results show that digitalization positively affects service quality and customer loyalty based on the OLS model. According to the T-test, there was no significant difference in customer loyalty between the genders. There has been a significant difference in loyalty between clients’ ages following the one-way ANOVA test. According to the Kruskal Wallis test, it also resulted in a significant difference between levels of education. This study will provide banks with feedback on the importance of digitalization and its correlation with their customers’ quality of service and loyalty. In this form, they decide to make even greater investments in digitalization by satisfying customer demands and creating loyal customers. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2022-06-06-04 Full Text: PD

Effectiveness of Simplex: the case of Portuguese social security

Debureaucratization initiatives are usually welcomed due to the anticipation of its benefits. Although such was the case of Simplex, its effectiveness is yet understudied and thus this dissertation aims to make a balance of the implementation of Simplex project. This balance covers both its effectiveness on the specific case of the Portuguese Social Security System as well as its levers and blockages in the ultimate goal of debureaucratize. The scarcity of information about Simplex impact encouraged this exploratory research as well as the methodological option that backed up a qualitative approach. To meet the study goals, this dissertation also incorporated theoretical elements of the literature review. We selected two Social Security stakeholders as our target groups – accountants and officials. With the former, we conducted individual semi-structured interviews, and with the second, we made focus groups. Findings suggest Simplex is much more than deadlines and cost decrease, and improving people’s lives. It is not just ICT, administrative simplification and legislative simplification, or as we called it, the triangle of drivers legislation, technology & procedures, but it is much more. Simplex has a 360º impact. It is relationship, communication and information. To achieve this, measures must be transversal to PA and the private sector, demanding participation, transparency and accountability, valuing the human resources, as the best asset, because it is necessary to guarantee equity and generate trust in citizens in order to uphold the image of Social Security. But this also requires working the culture, in its most diverse facets, all with the political commitment. Overall, a suitable number of KPI that allow monitoring and the comparability of the results is required as well as identifying constraints and blockages, and implementing corrective measures to reduce the risks of Simplex. In this way can Simplex become a tool of continuous improvement.As iniciativas de desburocratização são geralmente bem-vindas devido à antecipação de seus benefícios. Embora tenha sido esse o caso do Simplex, a sua eficácia tem sido pouco estudada e, por isso, esta dissertação visa fazer um balanço da implementação do projeto Simplex. Este balanço compreende quer a eficácia do Simplex no caso específico do Sistema de Segurança Social Português, quer a identificação de alavancas e bloqueios do Simplex, com o objetivo último de desburocratização. A escassez de informação sobre o impacto do Simplex motivou a realização desta investigação exploratória, bem como a opção metodológica que se ancorou numa abordagem qualitativa. Para atender aos objetivos do estudo, esta dissertação também incorporou elementos teóricos da revisão da literatura. Selecionámos dois stakeholders da Segurança Social como grupos-alvo – contabilistas e funcionários públicos. Com o primeiro, realizámos entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas e, com o segundo, construímos grupos de discussão. Os resultados sugerem que o Simplex é muito mais do que redução de prazos e de custos, e melhoria da vida das pessoas. Não é apenas tecnologias da informação e da comunicação, simplificação administrativa e simplificação legislativa, ou como designámos, o triângulo de drivers legislação, tecnologia e procedimentos; é muito mais do que isso. O Simplex tem um impacto 360º. Ele é relacionamento, comunicação e informação. Para tal, as medidas devem ser transversais à Administração Pública e ao setor privado, exigindo participação, transparência e responsabilização, valorizando os recursos humanos, como o melhor ativo, porque é preciso garantir equidade e gerar confiança nos cidadãos a fim de defender a imagem da Segurança Social. Mas isso também requer trabalhar a cultura, nas suas facetas mais diversas, tudo com o compromisso político. No geral, é necessário estabelecer um número adequado de KPI que permitam a monitorização e a comparabilidade dos resultados, bem como identificar os constrangimentos e bloqueios, e implementar medidas corretivas para reduzir os riscos do Simplex. Desta forma, o Simplex pode tornar-se numa ferramenta de melhoria contínua

A study on ways to strengthen the skills in media and information literacy education of librarians dispatched to developing countries through the Delphi method

Advances in technology and communication have brought various opportunities, conveniences, and benefits to human society. With the development of information and communication technology around the world, people can connect with each other in real time, regardless of location. Globalization is also accelerating the movement of people and goods. By making the flow of people, capital, information, and goods relatively free from border restrictions, globalization and informatization have fundamentally changed education. The educational paradigm is shifting in various directions. First, the role of non-formal education has become more prominent as education centered on knowledge acquisition, which was appropriate in the era of the Industrial Revolution, has transformed to a pattern in which learners mostly learn on their own. Second, governments and international organizations including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have been stressing that the acquisition and use of information and communication technology (ICT) is an essential condition for people to lead prosperous lives. Third, education policies and curricula developed by countries, which used to target only the domestic education system, are now beginning to address the effects of globalization on education, global citizenship, and digital citizenship. Along with this paradigm shift, the role of the library, which has traditionally been the center of education, society, and culture in the local community, is expanding. Libraries are representative non-formal educational institutions and local cultural venues that provide information, education, and culture services to their users. The composition and needs of libraries vary from country to country. Many developing countries has a history of colonial rule, and as their network infrastructure transforms in a leapfrogging manner directly into wireless internet, they suffer from the rapid widening of inequality in education and access to information. The purpose of this study is to understand the general impacts of this trend and to suggest ways to improve the media information literacy (MIL) competencies of residents in developing countries through the educational role that librarians can play, especially through librarians dispatched to developing countries. To this end, the relationship between library official development assistance (ODA), education in international development cooperation, and library MIL education were VI examined, and existing approaches for strengthening MIL education competency were analyzed through a literature review. In addition, the contents of current library MIL education were derived by analyzing government materials and summarizing the tasks requested for dispatched librarians to developing countries. After that, in-depth interviews were conducted with librarians dispatched to libraries in developing countries to understand the status of librarians’ work and library education programs in developing countries. In addition, through a Delphi survey with various experts, such as teachers who performed MILeducation, professors specializing in MIL, public officers, training experts in developing countries, and dispatched librarians, a few suggestions on ways to strengthen the competencies of librarians in developing countries for MIL were obtained. The study found that major factors hindering the strengthening of MIL education competencies in libraries in developing countries include the lack of professional human resources to carry out library ODA projects, understanding in ODA in the library field, and publicity for libraries’ role in sustainable education. There is also a need in developing MIL training materials and teaching methods. In conclusion, to build dispatched librarians’ MIL education knowledge and skills, it is necessary to conduct more research on the MIL education function of libraries and librarians and develop corresponding teaching methods and textbooks. In addition, various forms of MIL education training should be provided to dispatched librarians to enable them to work together consistently and continuously. Understanding the situation of recipient countries and organizations, their cultural environment, conditions, and customs, and their MIL environment are critical for the effective dispatch of librarians. To support smooth and sustainable education through libraries in the future, the need for building productive collaborative partnerships with various institutions is stressed. Among the functions that dispatched librarians perform in libraries in developing countries, improving users’ MIL competencies, providing information access rights, and supporting users’ non-formal learning are important roles that modern society requires libraries to perform. In addition, non-formal education is the most suitable form of education for MIL education, and MIL is a fundamental competency in modern society. If dispatched librarians and librarians in recipient countries can cooperate organically through activities in educational support, cultural program development, and MIL competency improvement, library ODA can head to a new direction that substantially contributes to the well-being of people in both donor and recipient countries

Blockchain technology in the area of e-Governance – Guidelines for implementation

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementThe perception of the public administration among society is widely associated with the area before the digital age and the information revolution: Less efficiency, less democratic, partially transparent, majorly bureaucratic, insufficient service quality, and slow responsiveness. Driven by information and communication technologies, there is an urgent need for disrupting the public sector to improve government decisions, increase the trust of citizens and their participation possibilities as well as enhance government accountability and transparency. The blockchain as a novel and innovative technology with its underlaying technological concept provides a plausible solution to reinvent the public administration processes and transactions with other governments, businesses, or citizens. This dissertation follows a design science research approach to apply multiple analytical methods and perspectives to create an artifact. The type of evidence within this methodology is a systematic literature review, with the goal to attain insights into the current state-of-the-art research of blockchain technology in the area of e-Governance. Additionally, proven best practices from the industry are examined in depth to further strengthen the credibility. Thereby, the systematic literature review shall be used to pinpoint, analyze, and comprehend the obtainable empirical studies and research questions. This methodology supports the main goal of this dissertation, to develop and propose evidence-based practice guidelines for the implementation of blockchain technology that can be followed by the public administration

JAMAICA’S TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS THE NEW INFORMATION SOCIETY

“The swift emergence of a global “information society” is changing the way people live, learn, work and relate. An explosion in the free flow of information and ideas has brought knowledge and its myriad applications to many millions of people, creating new choices and opportunities in some of the most vital realms of human endeavour. Yet too many of the world's people remain untouched by this revolution. A “digital divide” threatens to exacerbate already-wide gaps between rich and poor, within and among countries. The stakes are high indeed. Timely access to news and information can promote trade, education, employment, health and wealth. One of the hallmarks of the information society – openness -- is a crucial ingredient of democracy and good governance. Information and knowledge are also at the heart of efforts to strengthen tolerance, mutual understanding and respect for diversity……….. …The new information and communications technologies are among the driving forces of globalization. They are bringing people together, and bringing decision makers unprecedented new tools for development. At the same time, however, the gap between information 'haves' and 'have-nots' is widening, and there is a real danger that the world's poor will be excluded from the emerging knowledge-based global economy.”Information Society, Jamaica Information society,Jamaica,Government, e-government

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