Implementation challenges : competing structures when new public management meets eGovernment

• This article discusses practices, opportunities and challenges in local eGovernment project management by means of a case study of a Swedish city aiming at completely refocusing services, electronic and other, to become “citizen oriented”, meaning being able to meet the citizens’ needs more effectively. Based on empirical evidence collected by interviews and document studies, the article analyzes the development towards eGovernment and “the 24/7 agency”. Analyzing the case against eGovernment success factors we find seven challenges; political timing, resource allocation, political mandate, distinction between administrative and political responsibilities, coordination of departments, dependence on providers, and wise use of standards.. These challenges are critical because they mean choices important for national eGov development are open for local politics, complicated ad-hoc alliances among cities, and influences of strong individuals and groups. The article analyzes the challenges and finds that this situation is much a consequence of the prevailing strategic model for the public sector, New Public Management (NPM). This model by design leaves these issues in a void which has to be filled by negotiations among many actors with different roles, goals, and action space. The case shows that this makes national strategic eGov development volatile as it is dependent on a large number of local political assemblies; unlike the intention, NPM politicizes eGovernment.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Data- och informationsvetenskap -- Systemvetenskap, informationssystem och informatik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Computer and Information Sciences -- Information Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

local government

electronic government

implementation

NPM

New public management

Informatics

Informatik

Informatik

Informatics

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)