Luis F. Luna-Reyes

Information systems development as emergent socio-technical change: a practice approach

Many information systems development (ISD) initiatives fail to deliver the expected benefits. An important percentage of these are the result of social and organizational factors, not simply technical failures. This paper explores the dynamics of these social and organizational factors to better understand the causes of success and failure. Based on data from a detailed case analysis of an ISD project, the paper depicts the ISD process as an emergent and dynamic one, characterized by continuous local adaptations. The paper ends with a proposal of a feedback-rich framework, based on a practice view of socio-technical change that offers theoretical insights and practical heuristics to system developers and project managers.

Collaborative digital government in Mexico: Some lessons from federal Web-based interorganizational information integration initiatives

Abstract The use of information and communication technologies in government has been characterized as one powerful strategy for administrative reform. From recent experiences around the world, it seems clear that in order to enjoy some of the greatest benefits of digital government, the integration of information across organizational boundaries is necessary. However, these digital government initiatives face additional challenges, since the required level of interorganizational collaboration and trust is often not supported by existing institutional arrangements, organizational structures, and managerial processes. In fact, many institutions and administrative structures found in government contexts offer incentives for single-agency work only, which produces stove-pipe systems. Based on an extensive case study in the Mexican federal government, this paper explores how certain institutional arrangements and organizational structures can enable or hinder cross-agency collaboration and consequently, interorganizational information integration.

Using institutional theory and dynamic simulation to understand complex e-Government phenomena

Abstract Governments around the world have developed e-Government programs expecting to obtain important benefits such as improved efficiency or greater transparency. However, many e-Government projects fail to deliver their promises in terms of specific outcomes. Some of such failures are the result of a lack of understanding about the relationships among technologies, information use, organizational factors, institutional arrangements, and socio-economic contexts involved in the selection, implementation, and use of information and communication technologies (ICT), producing mismatches and unintended consequences. This paper proposes the use of institutional theory and dynamic simulation, particularly system dynamics, as an integrated and comprehensive approach to understand e-Government phenomena. Combining a sound theory and a sophisticated analytical technique will help to improve our understanding about ICT in government settings. The paper draws on the case of the e-Mexico program, particularly on the strategy to create web-based content portals for citizens in the areas of education, health, economy, and government. Using the same technological infrastructure and under the leadership of the same Federal Ministry, four different networks of government and non-government organizations engaged in the creation of internet portals and their content. The results provide evidence to demonstrate important bidirectional relationships between formal processes (institutions), agency networks (organizational forms), and the resulting characteristics of the four thematic portals (enacted technology).

Towards a multidimensional model for evaluating electronic government: Proposing a more comprehensive and integrative perspective

Abstract The use of information and communication technologies has been a key strategy for government reform. It offers diverse benefits, ranging from efficiency and effectiveness to transparency and greater democratic participation. Governments in many parts of the world have invested vast resources into electronic government projects with the expectation of achieving these and other outcomes. However, the results in many cases are limited and there is no comprehensive way to evaluate these initiatives at the aggregate level. A method for measuring and evaluating electronic government that identifies its advances and problems is needed. Previous efforts to do so are limited in terms of scope and dimensions being considered. Based on a review of current literature and the analysis of international best practices, this paper proposes a multidimensional model for measuring and evaluating electronic government. It also includes examples, a proposal of how to operationalize it, and several recommendations for practical use.

Knowledge and the development of interpersonal trust: a dynamic model

This paper presents a model of interpersonal trust dynamics, grounded in a longitudinal case study of an interorganizational information technology development project in New York State. System dynamics is the simulation method selected in this theory-building effort, based on qualitative data collected by the Center for Technology in Government. The model integrates concepts from economic models, as well as psychological and sociological theories about trust, learning, and perceptual processes in interpersonal relations. The simulation experiments show plausible path dependent behaviors with the characteristic asymmetries between trust and distrust described both in the literature an in the case data. The role of trust and knowledge development in the success of these projects is explored by combining models of sub processes into larger models of the overall collaboration. The value of the model as a theory building tool is enhanced by extended data collection and combining with related process models.

Collaborative e‐government

Purpose – The purpose of this paper (editorial) is to introduce a collection of “best papers,” selected from the 11th International Conference on Digital Government Research (dg.o, 2010), that are devoted to the technical, managerial, social and policy challenges and issues of collaborative e‐government. It provides a conceptual model for collaborative e‐government that may be used to explain the motivations and findings behind these studies.Design/methodology/approach – The paper outlines a conceptual model of collaborative e‐government using value‐driven, citizen‐driven, cost‐driven and technology‐driven forces that tie together various e‐government collaboration projects. A brief survey of government collaboration projects is presented and a set of research questions on collaborative e‐government are formulated.Findings – The conceptual model of e‐government collaboration forces provides a framework that encompasses the research questions, topics and themes addressed in various digital government paper...

Smart government, citizen participation and open data

The use of Information Technologies in government (or e-government) has evolved during the last few years to make the interactions between government and citizens (G2C), government and businesses (G2B), and inter-agency relationships (G2G) more effective, democratic and transparent [1,6,8]. Moreover, in the most recent years we have observed two important trends with an impact in all these interactions. On the one hand, governments around the world have engaged in a movement to open data with open licenses and in easier to re-use formats. On the other hand, technology ubiquity is contributing to the production of impressive amounts of data that have the potential to help us better understand complex social problems as well as to improve government relationships with citizens, private organizations, NGOs and other governments. Both trends together with a more extensive use of information technologies have been referred to as smart government or intelligent government. Smart government is considered as one of the key trends that governments have to follow for the next 10–15 years [7]. The concept of a smart community refers to the use of information and communication technologies by local governments and cities to better interact with their citizens, taking advantage of all available data to solve important problems [2]. However, in order to deliver the expected values, governments need not only to create new services to their citizens based on these technologies in order to improve their quality of life, but also to engage citizens in this new set of services. Hence, there are two main components to be considered: the extensive use of technology by governments, which we refer to as smart government, and the extensive use of technology by citizens to interact with governments, which we will refer to as citizens’ engagement.

Digital government transformation and internet portals: The co-evolution of technology, organizations, and institutions

Abstract Researchers and practitioners around the world recognize the potential of information technologies to promote government transformation. This transformation has been understood in at least two different ways: (1) as a transformation of internal processes and (2) as a transformation of the relationships between governments and other social and political actors (institutional transformation). Unfortunately, there is little or no evidence of such transformation, and current studies reveal that for this transformation to happen, a better understanding of the complex relationships between information technologies, organizations, and institutions is still required. This paper presents a theory of the co-evolution of technology, organizational networks, and institutional arrangements in the transformation of government. The theory uses the grammars of system dynamics and builds upon institutional approaches to understand interactions among all these variables in the development of information and communication technologies in government. Although the theory suggests the relevance of some specific reinforcing processes in this transformation, the endogenous view used in the theory empowers all stakeholders by illustrating how transformation could be promoted from any individual position involved in the process of developing digital government applications.

Open government 2.0: citizen empowerment through open data, web and mobile apps

Although the open government concept is not new, current trends in open government imply a change in focus from the traditional principle of accountability to a concept of citizen empowerment, collaboration and information sharing. In this paper, we explore the use of open data and mobile apps in the top countries according to the UN 2010 e-Government Survey. Our exploration suggests that, although not all countries yet offer mobile apps to their citizens, there is a great diversity of apps to create citizen value. Moreover, private companies and citizens are getting involved in the creation of such apps. More research is needed to understand ways to promote the development of this kind of government applications.

Uncovering Dynamics of Open Government, Transparency, Participation, and Collaboration

This paper investigates the prospects and compares the potential pathways of the open government, transparency, collaboration, and citizen participation initiatives in the US and in Mexico. The study aims at increasing the understanding to what extent and under which circumstances these initiatives might successfully establish or re-establish the balance of powers among the branches of government and major government-external players, which the founding fathers of the US constitution once had envisioned. We present a dynamic hypothesis geared at capturing the nonlinear dynamics in the relationships of the major players involved. An initial dynamic hypothesis poses that several favorable circumstances need to come into play together in order to make the vision of an inclusive and power-balanced democracy of the 21st century a reality. We suggest that the outcomes in the US and in Mexico might significantly differ from each other.