JeDEM - eJournal of eDemocracy and Open Government
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How do local governments implement e-government: A case study from Bali Province, Indonesia
No full textThe assessment of the e-government index in Indonesia began in 2018. This year, the Bali Province e-government index was only 1.6 (maximum 5). In 2021, 2022, and 2023, the Bali Province e-government index is 3.68, 3.84, and 4.07, respectively. This index is the highest for the provincial category and higher than the national e-government index. This study aims to determine the triumphant factor in implementing e-government in the Bali Province. The research was conducted using structured and in-depth interviews with stakeholders related to e-government management in the Bali Province. Furthermore, a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis was used to formulate the e-government implementation. The study has discovered five factors influencing the success of e-government implementation in Bali Province, including regional leaders' commitment, regulations, planning, governance and management, and human resources. The result also shows that leadership is the most influential factor in the successful implementation of e-government in Bali Province. Determination of the vision, mission, technical policies, planning, and performance evaluation is carried out in an organised and structured manner. Other evidence of support is realised through allocating a particular budget, providing human resources, and adequately delegating authority. While the findings of this paper will only close a small part of the knowledge gap, further research is still needed by sampling other provinces in Indonesia
Industrial Revolution 4.0 technologies for democratic e-government services: A systematic review of transformational frameworks
No full textThis paper uses the PRISMA framework to present a systematic literature review on e-government frameworks leveraging Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. It aims to identify, review, and analyze frameworks that incorporate emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, algorithms, natural language processing, big data analytics, blockchain, Internet of Things, cloud computing, cognitive computing, and autonomous robots to modernize public administration service delivery. The review covers articles from 2019 to 2024, highlighting the potential of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to enhance government services, improve accountability, and foster citizen engagement. However, it also identifies gaps in current frameworks, such as challenges related to security, privacy, and the digital divide. The paper provides recommendations for developing transformational e-government frameworks that prioritize democratic values, social inclusion, and stakeholder participation
Between continuity and change: A longitudinal analysis of Swedish local government digitalization strategies
No full textThe terminology associated with the use of information and communication technologies in the public sector has shifted over time, from information technology to digitalization. This change raises the question of whether corresponding shifts in government practices have accompanied it. To investigate this issue, we use topic modeling to analyze a corpus of IT- and digitalization strategies from Swedish local governments, produced over three decades. Our analysis reveals salient topics covered in these strategies and classifies them, displaying patterns of both continuity and change. Some of these patterns reflect dominant discourses about technological governance and the provision of digital services based on citizens’ needs, but there is also a notable absence of content related to democracy and participatory practices. Taken together, our study contributes empirically with an evolutionary perspective on digital government strategies and methodologically with the adoption of computational methods for this purpose
Frontline workers’ role in digital self-service co-production: Channel promoters, digital helpers, or intermediators
No full textWhen public services move online, citizens are expected to serve themselves on digital platforms and enrol in public services through self-service procedures. In this digital encounter, many citizens struggle to live up to the “self” in self-services and seek in-person assistance from public professionals. These professional actors play an essential role in enabling the co-production of self-services for citizens who struggle to be truly self-serving. This article explores the frontline workers’ roles in self-service co-production when interacting with citizens seeking help in the service procedures. Service interactions have been studied in two meeting centres of the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration. We have conducted observations of office interactions in general and at digital self-service stations in particular. Interviews with public officials have complemented these observations. We use intermediation and co-production theory as analytical lenses in our data analysis. The findings show that the role of frontline workers can be both flexible and narrow in nature and that they take on the role of intermediaries when acting as a bridge between the analogue world and the digital domain. We also see that the intermediating role frontline workers take will vary and is influenced by organisational, personal, and external circumstances that can enable or restrain the co-production of self-services
Unveiling political polarization on Twitter: Machine learning and sentiment analysis in presidential elections
No full textThe year 2024 stands out as a pivotal year marked by significant political transformations across the globe. Some countries, such as Mexico and the United States, could be deeply affected by political polarization and echo chambers. This study employed sentiment analysis and machine learning techniques to investigate political polarization on Twitter during the 2018 Mexican presidential election. The findings reveal that the winning candidate exhibited the highest level of polarization. This underscores the pivotal role of social media in elections. For some time now, social media platforms like Twitter have contributed to intensified political polarization and the creation of echo chambers. Further research is essential to understand the influence of polarization on voter decision-making and democratic procedures. Establishing ethical guidelines for using machine learning in policy analysis is critical to preserving the integrity of democratic processes while reaping the potential benefits of new technologies
Direct democracy and AI as a way to revitalize the health of the Federal Commonwealth
No full textDemocracy stands as the cornerstone of our modern world and current achievements; however, its present foundation was laid mainly in the 18th century, a time marked by slavery, widespread conflicts, imperialism, significant illiteracy, lack of advanced technologies, etc. While the global landscape has evolved, democratic institutions have not progressed simultaneously. Integrating artificial intelligence into our lives, alongside the practical implementation of direct democracy, provides a glimpse of potential enhancements that might propel us to a new level of governance—a vision articulated by A. Toffler and other thinkers. These enhancements could significantly boost societal knowledge, bringing us closer to the emergence of a knowledge society both chronologically and conceptually. On the other hand, AI systems pose risks to democracy, including limiting our free will and creating digital slavery. The trajectory of our progress depends on the decisions we make today. These issues are the focus of the paper’s comprehensive and pragmatic analysis
Looking beyond “the tool itself”: Towards a political systems understanding of e-participation
No full textIn this paper, we argue that e-participation research is at a crossroads as its theories and empirical scope are increasingly detached from the contemporary relationship between information technology and political participation. We illustrate this challenge through two developments: (1) the dissolving boundaries between online and offline spheres of political participation and (2) the growing dissociation between ICTs and democracy. In light of these developments, we present a potential path forward for the field, inspired by the so-called "systemic turn" in research on deliberative democracy and democratic innovations. We argue for a perspective that emphasises the relationship between e-participation and the political system in which it is enacted. This allows us, in our conclusion, In our conclusion, this allows us to present alternative potential directions for future research within the field
Trust and electoral technologies throughout the election cycle: Comparing the USA, Netherlands, Poland, and Kenya
No full textTechnology and election organization are increasingly intertwined, encompassing voting systems and supporting infrastructure. This interaction puts at the spotlight aspects related to trust and public confidence, fuelled by threat actors from actors aiming to disrupt electoral integrity using publicized attacks and disinformation campaigns against the use of such technologies. In the literature, there is still a lack of a cohesive, coordinated methodology for this issue that starts with a needs-based approach. This paper analyses the relationship between trust and technology implementation across the electoral cycle by presenting a set of selected case studies presenting diverse levels of democratic development and types of election management bodies. While examining how trust- and distrust-related factors influence implementation, this paper supports experts aiming to approach aspects related to the current erosion of trust in democracy and technology's impact
Election administrators' perceptions of verifiable online voting and its use in local elections
No full textCanada is the longest user of online voting in municipal elections and has primarily used non-verifiable systems, raising concerns about the integrity of election results and public and administrator confidence in the process. In the 2022 Ontario municipal elections, 9% of municipalities offered online voters the option of individual verifiability. To better understand the considerations and challenges of introducing verifiability mechanisms in local elections, this article explores municipal administrators' perceptions and understanding of verifiable online voting through three focus groups with local governments in Ontario, Canada: (1) users of verifiable online voting systems,(2) users of non-verifiable systems, and (3) those without online voting. We find deeper reasonings for selecting non-verifiable online voting systems, such as administrators' perceptions of voters' needs and the perceived value of transparency. To enhance the adoption of verifiable online voting, the article suggests promoting the value and meaning of verifiability among all stakeholders