The internet and public bureaucracies: towards balancing competing values

Innovation in public administration is one of the central aspects of public sector reforms. Given the procedural nature of government tasks, the adoption of the Internet and related information and communication technologies (ICT) has become critical for government organisations. The aim of this paper is to discuss the implications of the diffusion Internet led innovations in the public sector on balancing public values. Rather than diminishing their benefits, we aim at highlighting challenges and dilemmas that can emerge from ICT implementation in the public sector. The paper starts by reviewing the main trends of e-government research and show a dominant view towards managerial and private sector values embedded in the literature. To propose an alternative approach, we then draw on an empirical example from Mexico, that of the Federal Transparency and Access to Government Information Law. Using Mexico’s available statistics and secondary data, the case explores how a quicker ICT-mediated interaction between citizens and government can result in social and political dilemmas. We propose to bring into play the public value paradigm to highlight these issues. Conclusions follow

Public sector reforms and the notion of 'public value': implications for egovernment deployment

Governments are increasingly investing in information and communication technologies (ICT) as tool to foster the rationalization of public administration. This paper discusses e-government within the context of governmental reforms heavily influenced by the New Public Management (NPM), which suggests that the use of ICT within the public sector will enhance efficiency, effectiveness and accountability. Based on the concept of ‘public value’ developed by Moore (1995), we propose to question the overall impact e-government initiatives may have on governments’ ability to deliver social and economic outcomes that correspond to citizens’ expectations. Our central argument is presented as follows: while ICT can help to achieve the main NPM values, e-government initiatives do not guarantee to have a positive effect on broader public values. Even when this argument is not new, in this paper we aim to strengthen the need for a deeper discussion of the implications of e-government programs in the context of public values. To do so, we propose a framework that distinguishes between clusters of public values: those that are related to managerial practices and those related to democratic values. We draw on descriptive examples to illustrate our main arguments

Big Data for finance: emerging trends in business models, innovation and technology

Questions around big data have received notable attention lately, from a wide range of actors and across sectors. In this post, Carla Bonina explains an on-going LSE Tech research on big data and new business models in the financial services that has been sponsored by the Research Councils UK’s programme Nemode+. If you’re in the financial services sector, or doing work on big data with potential applications for finance, do get in touch with our team to know more about how to get involved in this pilot

Three research questions for big and open data

On the 1st and 2nd of July 2013, the LSE hosted the second New Economic Models in the Digital Economy (NEMODE) Community Meeting. In this post, LSE Tech fellow Carla Bonina shares the three research questions that emerged as part of the big and open data group: the value of open data, the labour market needs for profiting for big data and the ethical implications from experiments using big data

Upcoming presentations of our research work this weekend: internet metrics and big data

It’s been quiet for some time on our blog. But we have been busy continuing our research work and introducing some new material. In this blog post, we offer some updates of upcoming presentations by members of our research team during the upcoming days: the TPRC conference in Washington and the London Enterprise Tech Meetup. Do join us

The new public management, e-government and the notion of ‘public value’: lessons from Mexico

E-government has increasingly become one of the keys government’s interests. This paper discusses e- government within the context of governmental reforms heavily influenced by the New Public Management (NPM). The general vision of NPM supposes that the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) will enhance efficiency, policy effectiveness and democratic values (OCDE 2003). Based on the concept of ‘public value’ developed by Moore (1995), we discuss how e- government policies impact government’s political agendas, and not only the process throughout government deliver public services. ICT, we argue, do not only change the platform used to serve public services but also the nature of these public services. Our central argument is presented as follows: if e- government is strictly following the NPM prescriptions (efficiency and accountability), there is a risk of missing the social and political implications associated with the use of ICT in the public sector. Works addressing such other social and political values are the exception in the literature of e-government. Thus, in this paper we aim to open the way for a deeper discussion of the effects of e-government policies on public values. We draw on an empirical case from Mexico to illustrate our main arguments

Modularity and network integration: emergent sustainable services in mobile payment systems

This paper introduces the concept of modularity in financial services, discusses how new value chains are created and addresses emerging opportunities for innovative business models in the digital economy. We argue that innovation occurred in the banking sector despite the lagging adoption of new operational practices but due to technology drive for new ways to provide services. Banking innovation is commonly a matter of case facilitation vs. lock-in, in which the systemic effects of balancing delay vs. fast progress requires business model choices. In the banking sector, where there is little power stability among stakeholders, asymmetrical periods of dynamism are triggered by the modernization of the systems [13]. The main argument of this paper is that we can use models of modularity and network integration to improve our understanding of sustainable emerging banking practices. This is fundamental when establishing the potential contribution of this sector to digital economy models

Building ICT critical infrastructures for trade regulations: implications from a national initiative in Mexico

New information and communication technologies (ICT) promise an era of remarkable changes for society. In this paper, I propose to reflect on the processes underlying a national ICT initiative in Mexico aimed at improving foreign trade regulation - the Single Window for Foreign Trade. The case offers an example of the complexities of building ICT critical infrastructures in a given context. Using a narrative approach, I address the challenges and potential strategic lessons that can be learned from the case. Overall, the study offers implications that can serve as a point for comparison to similar projects