E-government in the making: socio-economic development in the Akshaya project

This paper discusses the Akshaya E-Government project. The paper uses general concepts borrowed from actor network theory to discuss the ongoing negotiation that shapes E-Government projects. We aim at shedding light on the importance of the dynamic interactions that shape the impact of ICT on government polices. In particular, we show that the nature of the service delivered and the socioeconomical development supported by the project are constantly shaped by the negotiation that occurs among the different actors involved and the consequent changes the project itself experiences. We therefore suggest to study e-Government in its making and not as results of planned action and sequential evolutionary phases

Pay for performance risks discouraging motivated employees

They dislike the effort needed for measuring performance; some change jobs, even at a pay cut, write Antonio Cordella and Tito Cordell

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

ICTs and value creation in public sector: manufacturing logic vs service logic

This paper contributes to the e-government literature discussing the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as an enabler of different modes of production of public services. E-government developments are often associated with organizational transformations aimed to increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of the internal production of public services or to facilitate the exchange of information and the coordination among different public organizations. However, ICTs can also enable the co-production of public services allowing citizens or non-public organizations, such as NGOs, social enterprises or private companies to co-produce public services with public sector organizations. ICTs can generate new relationships and dynamics that involve actors and resources outside public organizations, modifying the ways by which the value embedded in the services is produced. This paper critically describes and compares four different ICT mediated modes of production in the light of the two different logics of value creation. For each mode of public service production we identify the associated benefits, risks and possible solutions that can be deployed to mitigate the risks

Government as a platform, orchestration, and public value creation: the Italian case

E-Government literature has discussed how the adoption of the Government as a Platform (GaaP) can help public administration to produce more efficient public services. However, since little attention has been given to the impact of GaaP on public value creation more research is needed to analyse whether the GaaP is effective to help the government to deliver public services that fulfil social expectations and, hence, public value. Indeed, effi-ciency does not guarantee public value. Besides efficiency, public value incorporates citizens' variegated ex-pectations and needs that change over time and that are sometimes rival. For these reasons, the delivery of public value is often challenging for public agencies. The aim of this paper is to explain how the GaaP config-uration can help public administration to deliver public value better. The paper finds that the modularity of the platform configuration and different ecosystems that support public agencies need to be orchestrated to support the effective creation of public value. The authors analyse the case of the Italian GaaP initiative to discuss the importance of the orchestration of the GaaP characteristics to improve the coordination among public agencies and enable the co-production of services with external actors, in order to deliver public value better. The findings show that the orchestration of the GaaP configuration characteristics can enable Italian public administration to deliver public value, but also that, if the GaaP is not properly orchestrated, it can constrain the creation of public value

Seconds Out, Round Two: Contextualizing eGovernment Projects Within Their Instutional Milieu - A London Local Authority Case Study

It is early days yet to be able to truly determine whether the visions of e-government are realisable or not. The focus of the majority of the projects, and even research, on e-government has been on the possible impact of technology on government’s interaction with citizens. This paper looks beyond this level, investigating the challenges faced by local government authorities when implementing egovernment projects. A case study within a forward looking London borough implementing an eprocurement system was carried out. The research data suggests that the uncertainties faced by the authority during the implementation, and the mechanisms enforced to tackle them, have to be considered if we want to better understand the chances of success of e-government projects. The study hints that amongst these uncertainties the institutional barrier of departmentalism, which lies deep in the public sector, is playing a major role in defining the possible outcome of e-government projects. The paper concludes that this organisational barrier has to be undoubtedly considered to comprehend the chances of ICT driven reforms such as public sector e-procurement

Seconds Out, Round Two: Contextualising E-Government Projects within their Institutional Milieu—A London Local Authority Case Study

It is early days yet to be able to truly determine whether the visions of e-government are realisable or not. The focus of the majority of the projects, and even research, on e-government has been on the possible impact of technology on government’s interaction with citizens. This paper looks beyond this level, investigating the challenges faced by local government authorities when implementing e-government projects. A case study within a forward looking London borough implementing an e-procurement system was carried out. The research data suggests that the uncertainties faced by the authority during the implementation, and the mechanisms enforced to tackle them, have to be considered if we want to better understand the chances of success of e-government projects. The study hints that amongst these uncertainties the institutional barrier of departmentalism, which lies deep in the public sector, is playing a major role in defining the possible outcome of e-government projects. The paper concludes that this organisational barrier has to be undoubtedly considered to comprehend the chances of ICT driven reforms such as public sector e-procurement

Artificial intelligence and decision-making: the question of accountability

Public sector organizations literature has addressed the influence of AI on decision-making process, looking mainly at rationalization and efficiency. However, recent adoptions of AI have been challenged because of their discriminatory nature. As a result, questions emerged on the accountability of AI supported decision-making processes in the public sector. This research sheds light on how AI transforms decision-making processes in the public sector and hence on their accountability. The paper illustrates that AI adoptions lead to the emergency of techno-legal entanglements - assemblages - which might impact upon AI accountability. Building on the findings of some of the most controversial and discussed cases of AI adoption in the public sector - COMPAS in the US and UKVI in the UK - the paper makes the case for a new approach to AI supported public sector decision-making accountability

Policymaking in time of Covid-19: how the rise of techno-institutional inertia impacts the design and delivery of ICT-mediated policies

The paper theorizes the emergence of techno-institutional inertia within public organizations. Specifically, it analyses the impact of techno-institutional inertia on policymaking in emergency time. The paper extends the literature on inertia in organizations to shed light on the inertia triggered by both human actors and technology. Techno-institutional inertia provides useful instruments to better understand how imbrications between technology, policies, and institutions shape the design and the delivery of public policies. The paper builds on the findings from a case study of the Peruvian public sector, analyzing the techno-institutional inertia which shaped the provision of public services to contrast the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The paper offers valuable insights for policymakers who aim to adopt ICT-based policies in contexts characterized by scarcity of time and resources