Information Polity - Volume 25, issue 3

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/IP-200007

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 241-242, 2020

Authors: Meijer, Albert | Webster, C. William R. | Contributing Authors

Article Type: Review Article

Abstract: Governments around the world are utilizing data and information systems to manage the COVID-19-crisis. To obtain an overview of all these efforts, this global report presents the expert reports of 21 countries regarding the relation between the COVID-19-crisis and the information polity. A comparative analysis of these reports highlights that governments focus on strengthening six functions: management of information for crisis management, publishing public information for citizens, providing digital services to citizens, monitoring citizens in public space, facilitating information exchange between citizens and developing innovative responses to COVID-19. The comparative overview of information responses to the COVID-19-crisis shows that these …responses cannot only be studied from a rational perspective on government information strategies but need to be studied as political and symbolic interventions. Show more

Keywords: COVID-19, information polity, corona app, corona dashboard

DOI: 10.3233/IP-200006

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 243-274, 2020

Authors: Chantillon, Maxim | Crompvoets, Joep | Peristeras, Vassilios

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This article investigates which public values are prioritized in e-government policies, what the connection is to governance approaches and how the public value prioritization can be explained. Strategic horizontal e-government policy documents are analysed from 2000 to 2018 in Belgium, the United Kingdom and the European Union. A public value typology is developed which connects three-ideal type governance approaches: (1) hierarchy, (2) market and (3) network. The results show that market related public values often play a dominant role in e-government policy documents, but so do – to a lesser degree – network related public values. Hierarchy related public values …are seldom dominant. At the national level, four factors explain the prioritization: The attention for a specific governance approach at a given time, the influence of politics, the specific topic of the e-government policy document and the role of authors. Power distribution at the EU level plays a key role in defining the public values balance. This articles contributes to the knowledge on public values in e-government policies, the wider discussion on governance approaches in public administration and the need to understand the relation between public values and public value creation. Show more

Keywords: E-government, public values, governance approaches

DOI: 10.3233/IP-190126

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 275-300, 2020

Authors: Begany, Grace M. | Martin, Erika G.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We trace the evolution of open government data (OGD) publication among U.S. health agencies to illustrate how OGD goals and benefits might be achieved. Our novel conceptual framework illustrates the implicit logic underlying OGD activities in the health domain and their anticipated impact on population health. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 50 diverse practitioners and policymakers from local, state, and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Using a positive deviance approach, we identified innovative U.S. health agencies that were early OGD adopters. We analyzed transcripts using a grounded theory methodological approach to identify common themes. Results indicate that the OGD movement …is marked by three major eras (pre-OGD early activities, Open Data 1.0, and Open Data 2.0), and U.S. health agencies are in different stages of evolution. Among innovative jurisdictions, OGD transitioned from an early focus on releasing large volumes of data to a more demand-driven approach to promote meaningful user engagement with data. Although engagement strategies could yield benefits, limited evidence exists on best practices for engaging diverse data users and many jurisdictions have not yet transitioned to this later phase. Our conceptual framework could be adapted for other domains to help visualize how successful OGD initiatives might unfold. Show more

Keywords: Open government data, user engagement, health policy, health data, health information management

DOI: 10.3233/IP-190169

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 301-322, 2020

Authors: Ruvalcaba-Gomez, Edgar Alejandro | Renteria, Cesar

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The concepts of Transparency, Citizen Participation and Open Government is increasingly being used by politicians, public officials and civil society. Open Government strategies are being assumed by public administration at different levels of government, but also by civil society organizations that are involved in issues of transparency, citizen participation mainly. However, there is a diversity about how the concepts are used by different social sectors. In this sense, it is pertinent to know how these concepts are perceived among the main sectors that trigger policies of transparency, citizen participation and open government. The objective of this research is to analyze …transparency, citizen participation and open government from the perspectives of two fundamental sectors in the political-social participation process: Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and Government. To contrast the perspectives of the two sectors, the case of the State of Jalisco, Mexico is studied. This research shows the results of a survey administrated to members of CSO and public officials involved in open government actions. In order to contrast ideas and assessments, three dimensions are established for its analysis: a) open government, c) transparency and b) citizen participation. The results show a considerable gap between the perceptions of public officials and organized civil society. Show more

Keywords: Open government, transparency, citizen participation, civil society, jalisco, perception survey

DOI: 10.3233/IP-190185

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 323-337, 2020

Authors: Distel, Bettina

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The amount of acceptance literature stands in sharp contrast to the persistently low adoption rates of public e-services in most European countries. Despite huge investments on the one hand and a vast body of literature on success factors on the other hand, citizens are surprisingly uninterested in the use of public e-services. However, only few studies explicitly address phenomena of resistance or non-adoption. In order to explain citizens’ non-adoption and adoption of public e-services, this article builds on the Inhibitor Theory as an analytical framework, based on which a dual factor-model is proposed and tested with survey data from 495 …German citizens. The results of this study indicate that non-adoption of public e-services is less driven by technical issues than suggested in current literature. Instead, the need for personal consultation and status quo bias are the strongest predictors of citizens’ non-adoption. Show more

Keywords: Public e-services, citizens, non-adoption, inhibitor theory, survey research

DOI: 10.3233/IP-190214

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 339-360, 2020

Authors: Tong, Jingrong | Zuo, Landong

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Over recent years, the Western world has witnessed the (re-)rise of populism, which was marginal compared to the (once-)dominant ideologies of globalisation and European integration. This article examines the role played by the Twitter practices of politicians and the news media in mainstreaming populism through a case study of the 2016 Brexit referendum debates. The communicative freedom of politicians and the extensive attention given to them by users enabled the presenting of populist arguments as a legitimate part of debates about the referendum. The news media paid overwhelming attention to politicians and focused on the issues of immigration and the …economy in their tweets, creating the sphere of legitimate controversy where populist arguments appeared in parallel with those supporting globalisation and European integration. In this case, the Twitter practices of British politicians and the news media led to the extensive – but largely uncritical – presence and articulation of populist claims on Twitter. Their strong presence alongside pro-EU and pro-globalisation arguments gave these populist perspectives a central place in the debates on the referendum. The mainstreaming of populism through the Twitter practices of politicians and the news media is inextricably linked with, and thus needs to be understood within, the broader context of rising populism where the (once-)dominant ideologies of globalisation and European integration are in decline. Show more

Keywords: Twitter, the 2016 UK-EU referendum, politicians, the news media, populism, political communication, mainstream, globalisation, European integration

DOI: 10.3233/IP-190197

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 361-375, 2020

Authors: McBride, Keegan | Olesk, Maarja | Kütt, Andres | Shysh, Diana

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of how Estonia used action research and systems theory to improve the performance their Open Government Data (OGD) ecosystem. This paper understands performance of OGD ecosystems of as consisting of three parts: 1) OGD supply, 2) OGD usage, 3) communication, interaction, and linkages between OGD suppliers and users. It was believed that by taking a holistic approach, encouraging transparency and co-creation, and manipulating feedback loops it was possible to improve the performance of the ecosystem. The research uses and validates previous research on open government data ecosystems and by doing …so also achieved increased levels of performance in Estonia’s OGD ecosystem. The paper’s main contributions are the creation of a framework based on systems theory, systems thinking, and action research for enacting strategic change in OGD ecosystems, conceptualizing feedback loops as a core part of OGD ecosystems, and the conceptualization of performance in OGD ecosystems. The paper concludes by offering nine core insights related to OGD ecosystems and their performance. Show more

Keywords: Systems theory, open data, open data ecosystem, systems thinking, feedback loops, system performance, e-Government

DOI: 10.3233/IP-190195

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 377-402, 2020

Article Type: Book Review

DOI: 10.3233/IP-200005

Citation: Information Polity, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 403-406, 2020