Peter Parycek

Open government data implementation evaluation

This paper analyses the implementation of the Open Government Data strategy and portal of the City of Vienna. This evaluation is based on qualitative interviews and online polls after the strategy was implemented. Two groups of users were involved in the evaluation: internal target groups (employees and heads of department in the City of Viennas public administration departments) and external stakeholders (citizens, business representatives, science and research, journalists). Analyzed aspects included the present organizational processes, the benefits (to business and society), and requirements for future Open Government Data initiatives. This evaluation reveals success factors which accompanied the implementation: the clear definition of responsibilities and the implementation along a process model, the integration of the Open Government Data platform into existing Content Management Systems, the evaluation of the Open Government Data initiative very shortly after its inception. Based on the theoretical and empirical findings, recommendations for future Open Government Data strategies are made which target the local authority and would require action on the federal level such as Creative Commons Attribution License as the default for subsidy funds or public relation measures carried out directly by the data providing departments.

Big data in the policy cycle: Policy decision making in the digital era

Abstract Although of high relevance to political science, the interaction between technological change and political change in the era of Big Data remains somewhat of a neglected topic. Most studies focus on the concept of e-government and e-governance, and on how already existing government activities performed through the bureaucratic body of public administration could be improved by technology. This article attempts to build a bridge between the field of e-governance and theories of public administration that goes beyond the service delivery approach that dominates a large part of e-government research. Using the policy cycle as a generic model for policy processes and policy development, a new look on how policy decision making could be conducted on the basis of ICT and Big Data is presented in this article.

Special issue on transparency and open data policies: guest editors' introduction

Literature and policy reports suggest that open data can be used as a tool to enhance transparency. However, several researchers have challenged the idea that the release of government data will result in increased transparency and the idea that transparency automatically leads to more trust in the government. Moreover, transparency may have undesired effects. Limited research has been conducted on these sometimes conflicting findings and challenges, and on how open data policies should deal with this. It is not clear what encompasses an effective open data policy and how this influences transparency. The papers in this special issue contribute to this area. In the introduction of this special issue we present the state-of-the-art with regard to definitions, developments, research, challenges and barriers related to open data transparency and open data policies. Finally, a summary of the papers included in this special issue is provided.

E‐participation readiness of Austrian municipalities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to depict the present situation of e‐participation initiatives of Austrian municipalities and derives recommendations to further enhance the e‐participation sophistication level.Design/methodology/approach – The findings are based on hypotheses we verified against a dataset obtained from an electronic survey among all Austrian municipalities, conducted in 2008.Findings – The technical basis for e‐participation in Austria is well developed, yet accessibility of municipal web sites and the phrasing of information leaves space for improvement. E‐participation in Austria is still in a nascent state and requires the convergence of technical, political, legal and socio‐economic factors, which has not yet fully arrived at the municipal level.Research limitations/implications – The raw material of the survey did not allow a qualitative assessment of e‐services.Practical implications – Change of law and reconsideration of opening hierarchical structures.Social implications – ...

Identification in e-participation: a multi-dimensional model

A crucial question in the conceptual design of e-participation processes is the selection of electronic identification methods (IDs). Both technical security of a system and low participation threshold are important factors that should be considered on all levels of e-participation. IDs that are perceived as too complex are likely to cause lower participation rates. While anonymous participation is favoured by a great number of users, some forms of e-participation, in particular those asking for authorised participants, require a more secure form of identification with a high quality of identification data. This paper presents an expert-based model that maps selected IDs with the levels of e-participation and evaluates the appropriateness of their usage for each stage. The results are discussed for different ID methods and aspects such as transparency and privacy are taken into consideration.

Exit the E-government Ivory Tower: A Training Strategy -- A Case Study from Austria

The national Austrian e-government curriculum aims to train government and public administration staff at all organisational levels, so the training plan needs to be developed on the basis of the national e-government aims and adapted according to the target groups, the contents and teaching modalities. This paper presents the implementation of the e-government curriculum in Austria that began in 2006 and continues today. Based on a case study approach, the paper looks at the issues important in the implementation of a nationwide e-government strategy and training programme. The Austrian e-government curriculum is considered in terms of its strengths and the aims achieved, but also the limitations, weaknesses and mistakes made. It concludes that countries wanting to implement a nation-wide e-government strategy, regardless of whether they are an emerging nation or a highly-advanced country, need to support their e-government strategy with an e-government training plan.

Digital Divide among Youth: Socio-Cultural Factors and Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to examine socio‐cultural differences in internet use (Digital Divide) among 14‐year‐old Austrian pupils, in particular usage scenarios and research competences. It is based on a paper presented at the International Association for the Development of the Information Society e‐Society conference, 10‐13 March 2011, Spain (Parycek et al., 2011).Design/methodology/approach – The interpretation follows the results of a study conducted in 2009 and 2010 in school computer labs. The study design includes an online survey, a questionnaire and a cloze test.Findings – The results give evidence that a Digital Divide in Austria exists even among teenagers, in particular in relation to gender, socio‐economic status and school type.Research limitations/implications – As the survey was done with 14‐year‐old pupils, the results are limited to this age group. However, the target group enables researchers to relate the results to the main two school types in Austria, as pupils attend either of thes...

Increasing collaboration and participation in smart city governance: a cross-case analysis of smart city initiatives

ABSTRACT This study addresses the concept of smart governance in the context of smart cities, with a focus on analyzing the phenomenon of smart collaboration. Relying on the existing collaboration and participation concepts in the smart city domain, an empirical analysis was undertaken of how ICT can promote collaborative governance and increase the participation and engagement in government. The multiple case studies focus on three cities in Brazil that run municipal operations centers in an effort to “become smarter”: Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, and Belo Horizonte. Interviews with directors, managers, and technicians shed light on the contribution that ICT makes in promoting an environment of collaboration in the government. The findings have revealed that ICT has an important role in supporting information sharing and integration between government agencies and external stakeholders, including citizens, especially in developing countries.

Identification in E-Participation: Between Quality of Identification Data and Participation Threshold

E-participation projects have to consider a low participation threshold while maintaining security and data quality standards. While users often perceive complex regulations and logins as hurdles for participation, providers of solutions want to avoid misuse and in some cases have identified the participants uniquely. Not all levels of e-participation require the same quality of identification and authentication to produce reliable outcomes. Based on the first results of an Austrian e-participation project, the paper presents a model that tries to match these complex relations and examines which identification methods are seen as appropriate on which levels of e-participation based on the dimensions of quality of identification data and low participation threshold.

Evaluation of an E-participation Project: Lessons Learned and Success Factors from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

In the area of large-scale e-participation projects on a cross-national level, the project we present is based on the idea that the active involvement of young people in the process of socio-political decision-making plays an important societal role. OurSpace is a multi-national project supporting a closer relationship between European decision makers, and Europe’s younger generation. OurSpace tried to combine ICT usage, young peoples’ readiness and motivation to participate, and their assumed lack of information regarding European politics. We present the evaluation framework and methodology applied for OurSpace, the major results of the project evaluation, and the lessons learned from a comparative perspective.