Governments in control?
The implications of governance and policy entrepreneurship in electronic government
ANN-SOFIE HELLBERG Informatics
Örebro Studies in Informatics 9 I ÖREBRO 2015
ÖREBRO STUDIES IN INFORMATICS
9 2015
ANN-SOFIE HELLBERG Governments in control?
Ann-Sofie Hellberg is a Ph.D. student in Informatics at the School of Business at Örebro University, Sweden. She started her doctoral studies at the Research School of Public Affairs in 2008, a research school co-financed by Örebro University and Örebro municipality. Her research interest is in electronic government. Previously she worked as a soft- ware developer with Management Information Systems and she has a Licentiate’s and Master’s degree in Informatics.
The key focus in this thesis is to examine the process through which electro- nic government (the use of ICTs in the public sector) is shaped in policy and practice. The history of electronic government has two sides. When it comes to the implementation of what can be regarded as rather uncomplicated pro- jects, electronic government has many good stories to tell. Conversely, when it comes to more ambitious ideas, the story is quite different. Many problems have been raised and, since the 1990s, there has been a steady stream of new big ideas in electronic government, leaving behind a trail of uncompleted pro- jects. Hellberg’s research has shown that this phenomenon could be explained by using the policy entrepreneurship lens. Electronic government ideas are not introduced from the top; nor are they implemented “as is”. Instead, they are shaped in the implementation process. Advice given to governments is to focus on smaller ideas and apply holistic thinking. In this thesis some insights into why this is easier said than done are provided. Electronic government aims to promote change to develop the public sector and society. However, change cannot be provided by government actors only; governance must provide the work that the “institutions” cannot do. It is the relationship between go- vernment and governance that holds the clues to the phenomenon. To make people act, they must be inspired. Great promises can provide motives for this.
However, when acting, policy entrepreneurs may lack the decision-making powers needed; instead, they have the power to influence. Nevertheless, to do this they must act in a certain way. Because of their lack of decision-making powers, they need to be sensitive to timing and be responsive. They also need to promote their ideas in a way that makes sense to others so that they can gain their support. This can, indeed, result in increased complexity and the acceleration of the process.
isbn 978-91-7529-074-4
Doctoral Dissertation
ANN-SOFIE HELLBERG Governments in control?
