Transformational digital government

Document Type

Editorial

Abstract

The impact of information and communication technology (ICT) in government has been a topic that has been long debated (West, 2004). Since the reception of digital government research two decades ago, the transformational power of ICT and technology related changes have raised new hypes among practitioners and researchers alike (Andersen et al., 1994, Luna-Reyes and Gil-Garcia, 2012). As a matter of fact, digital government has been considered as a driving force of administrative reforms around the world (Morgeson and Mithas, 2009, Scholl, 2005). Transformation is often associated with changes that are pervasive and drastic (Layne & Lee, 2001). Fundamental changes in the way how public organizations are structured and operate, how public services are delivered, how policies are developed, implemented, and evaluated, as well as how citizens engage in democratic processes are often expected from the introduction of technologies. Over the years, we have seen support from researchers who observed certain level of changes. For example, the interactive nature of digital government technology is often seen as having the capability to increase efficiencies and reduce cost in government operations and improve transparency and accountability of the public sector (Gil-Garcia & Helbig, 2007). Some other researchers see an apparent debate about digital government benefits, pointing that the more optimistic views come from more conceptual approaches to the phenomenon, and the less optimistic views come from the more empirical ones (Norris and Reddick, 2013, Wood et al., 2009).

Publication Title

Government Information Quarterly

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Volume

31

Issue

4

First Page

503

Last Page

505

ISSN

0740-624X

DOI

10.1016/j.giq.2014.10.001

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