Jooho Lee

Exploring the Role of Social Networks in Affective Organizational Commitment: Network Centrality, Strength of Ties, and Structural Holes

Although studies in public management have identified personal attributes, job characteristics, and organizational rewards as key factors that influence affective organizational commitment, limited attention has been paid to the influence of social networks on affective commitment. Given that organizational attitudes and behaviors are often socially constructed, this article argues that employees’ affective commitment is influenced by their social networks in an organization. What are the social network configurations that lead to affective organizational commitment? This study attempts to answer this question by focusing on nonlinear relationships between several network dimensions (i.e., network centrality, tie strength, and structural holes) and affective commitment. These relationships are empirically tested by using both social network data and employee survey data collected from two local governments in South Korea. Results of the study show that employees’ network centrality has an inverted U-shaped relationship with affective commitment and structural holes have a U-shaped association with affective commitment, controlling for certain organizational rewards and individual attributes. However, the relationship between a tie strength and affective commitment is not statistically significant. The practical and theoretical implications of the study findings are discussed.

The Evolution of Internal IT Applications and e-Government Studies in Public Administration: Research Themes and Methods

This study reviews research themes and methods used in information technology (IT) in government and e-government research. Although IT/e-government studies (including inward aspects of IT applications in government and e-government studies) continue to increase, they are not comprehensively understood as a subfield within public administration. Based on Rosenbloom’s three competing approaches to public administration (managerial, political, and legal), we investigated the major research themes of IT/e-government studies in public administration. We analyzed 248 IT/e-government articles published in six major public administration journals from 1965 to 2010 to examine IT/e-government research trends in terms of research themes and methods.

E-government services and social media adoption: Experience of small local governments in Nebraska state

Abstract Considering that social media as new tools complement existing e-government services, it is necessary to understand what types of e-government services better fit with different social media tools. The roles of e-government services in the adoption of social media in government are understudied and little is known about social media use in small local governments. This research addresses these research gaps by exploring the relationship between different types of e-government service and social media adoption by small local governments. It also explores how these small local governments use social media. Drawing from e-government and social media literature, it offers hypotheses by focusing on the relationship between e-government service characteristics and the adoption of Facebook and Twitter in the context of small local government. Using original survey and census data of local governments in Nebraska, it finds that transaction services are associated with the adoption of Facebook while information services are related to the adoption of Twitter.

Exploring the Role of Knowledge Networks in Perceived e-Government A Comparative Case Study of two Local Governments in Korea

What are the knowledge network configurations associated with effective e-government? To answer this question, a social network perspective is applied to explore the connection between e-government actors’ social networks and their perception of e-government effectiveness. Specifically, this study closely looks at both intraorganizational networks between program and IT units and interorganizational relationships with IT vendors in the context of local e-government. Two Korean local governments who provide online parking services through the same IT vendor were selected as comparative cases. Through the network analysis of two local governments, the study suggests preliminary findings for the knowledge network conditions for effective e-government: e-government effectiveness is likely to be enhanced (1) members of IT and program units are linked through a greater number of strong cross-unit ties; (2) they maintain strong ties with IT vendors; (3) CUBS take central positions in knowledge networks in a program unit; and (4) they are embedded in high density of intra-unit networks within their units.

Collaborative data networks for public service: governance, management, and performance

ABSTRACT This study aims to advance the theory and practice of managing collaborative data networks for information and decision-support services that exist in over 400 US metropolitan areas. Integrating insights from collaborative governance, network management, and cross-boundary information sharing, this study develops a framework to outline the interplay between context, management, collaborative dynamics, technology, and performance. This study further utilizes the framework to conduct an exploratory in-depth case study of a metropolitan transportation data network to examine such interplay. The findings suggest ways to improve the performance of collaborative data networks and their implications are discussed.

The Nexus of State and Local Capacity in Vertical Policy Diffusion

This article examines the vertical diffusion of a policy between a state and its local governments. Although policy diffusion typically relies upon multiple mechanisms, diffusion between a state and its local governments relies primarily on coercion. Using a case study of state-mandated adherence to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), we show that the coercion mechanism is dependent upon the capacity of the state and local governments to adopt and implement a policy, as well as the discretion available to a local government. Utilizing data from all 50 states as of 2008, our findings show that the vertical diffusion of a policy is reliant on a state’s fiscal capacity and the personnel capacity of the local government. We also found that strong institutional autonomy at the local level leads a state to adopt a GAAP mandate.

When do online education technologies enhance student engagement? A case of distance education at University of Nebraska at Omaha

ABSTRACT Given online instruction in university programs is now commonplace, it is more vital to understand how key aspects of online courses influence student engagement. To build on the literature in this area, this study investigates the extent to which technological tools utilized in online settings enhance student engagement in public administration courses. The particular emphasis in the study is to explore the role of technology in both student–instructor and student–student interaction in online classroom settings. The results indicate that students tend to engage in online classes more intensively when they frequently interact with peer students using technologies. In addition, the results reveal that the thoughtful application of a limited number of tools may be as or more effective than using a wide variety of technology in an online setting.

E-Government Services and Social Media Adoption: Experience of Small Local Governments in Nebraska

Considering that social media as new tools complement existing e-government services, it is necessary to understand what types of e-government service better fit with different social media tools. However, the roles of e-government services in the adoption of social media in government are understudied. Moreover, little is known about social media use in small local governments. This research addresses these research gaps by exploring the relationship between different types of e-government service and social media adoption by small local governments. It also explores how these small local governments use social media. Drawing from e-government and social media literature, it offers hypotheses by focusing on the relationship between e-government service characteristics and the adoption of Facebook and Twitter in the context of small local government. Using original survey and census data of local governments in Nebraska, it finds that transaction services are associated with the adoption of Facebook while information services are related to the adoption of Twitter.

Performance information use and severe cutback decisions during a period of fiscal crisis

This paper examines the impact of performance information use on government cutback decisions. The use of performance information was associated with the adoption of furloughs and layoffs, but not with service elimination or salary reductions. These mixed findings reveal the limited role of performance information use in cutback decisions.

Citizens’ e-participation on agenda setting in local governance: Do individual social capital and e-participation management matter?

ABSTRACT Although a growing body of literature has touted e-participation as a means of facilitating greater citizen participation in policy decision-making processes, little is known about the driving forces behind citizens’ use of e-participation. Based on a literature review of social capital and citizen participation, this study develops and tests a model proposing that three dimensions of social capital and three dimensions of citizen participation management should be positively associated with e-participation in agenda setting. Using data from a Korean e-participation survey conducted in 2009, we found that citizens tend to be more active e-participants when they have greater trust in government and are weakly tied to offline social groups. We also found that citizen participants’ perception of government responsiveness to their input can facilitate their e-participation. The study findings imply that local governments should pay more attention to the function of public trust in local government and provide quality feedback in response to citizen input. They should also be sensitive to how the social factors of e-participants can facilitate involvement in agenda setting.