Digital government transformation in turbulent times: Responses,challenges, and future direction

We are living in turbulent times, with the threats of COVID-19 and related social conflicts. Digital transformation is not an option but a necessity for governments to respond to these crises. It has become imperative for governments worldwide to enhance their capacity to strategically use emerging digital technologies and develop innovative digital public services to confront and overcome the pandemic. With the rapid development of digital technologies, digital government transformation (DGT) has been legitimated in response to the pandemic, contributing to innovative efficacy, but it also has created a set of challenges, dilemmas, paradoxes, and ambiguities. This special issue’s primary motive is to comprehensively discuss the promises and challenges DGT presents. It focuses on the nature of the problems and the dilemmatic situation in which to use the technologies. Furthermore, it covers government capacity and policy implications for managerial and institutional reforms to respond to the threats and the uncertainty caused by disruptive digitalization in many countries. To stimulate discussion of the theme of this special issue, this editorial note provides an overview of previous literature on DGT as a controlling measure of the pandemic and the future direction of research and practice on DGT.     

Digital transformation toward AI-augmented public administration: The perception of government employees and the willingness to use AI in government

Government employees play a critical role in adopting and using new technologies in government, and their attitude and willingness to use them matter in creating a sustainable and meaningful digital transformation. This study explores how the perception of government employees shapes the willingness to support the use of AI technologies in government. Based on a survey data on current government employees in the U.S., our analysis reveals that the willingness to implement and use AI technologies in government was contingent upon a series of positive and negative perceptions about the new technologies, long-term outlook on the role of AI technologies in society, and the familiarity and experience in using some form of AI applications in the past. In particular, the perception of AI enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the work and a positive and longer-term outlook on AI's future about human labor (as an assistant or a competitor), the perception of the technology's ultimate harm or benefit (does it harm or benefit humanity), its ability to eventually make ethical and moral judgments influenced the willingness to support AI technologies in government. A substantial proportion of the government employees in the survey sample responded that they had experienced using some form of AI applications in their work and this familiarity had a strong positive influence on their support for AI. Our findings point to the importance of training the government employees in AI technologies to improve their understanding and perception about the new technologies as well as their potentials in government that will foster a culture of innovation toward sustainable and impactful digital transformation.     

Improving the assessment of digital services in government websites: Evidence from the Mexican State government portals ranking

Different definitions, frameworks and dimensions have been proposed in the literature to identify the best pathways for the development of government websites. Using these frameworks, several measurements and rankings to assess digital government success have been developed. Although these models have helped to understand the influence of many critical factors on the successful application of ICT in government, it is necessary to understand the empirical validity of these frameworks and dimensions. Some authors have proposed factor analysis techniques as a useful tool for this task. Using data from a ranking of state government portals in Mexico during the period 2009-2015, we conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate the dimensions of the evolutionary model proposed in the ranking. Results ratify most of the original dimensions of the evaluated instrument, but allow reducing the number of questions and obtain more robust estimations. Also, the new reduced instrument is validated using data collected in 2016 and 2017. Based on the analysis, we provide a set of practical recommendations for improving measurement methodologies and the assessment of digital government services in general.     

Open government data portals: Predictors of site engagement among early users of Health Data NY

A key premise of open government data (OGD) policies is enhanced engagement between government and the public. However, it is not well understood who the users of OGD are, how to tailor OGD content, and which communities to target for outreach. We examined users' engagement with Health Data NY, New York's health oriented OGD portal, to understand user characteristics associated with increased site engagement. We used Google Analytics data to classify four site engagement metrics into high versus low engagement and used logistic regression to test associations between higher site engagement and gender, age group, device type, and consumer interest. We found that being in a younger age bracket, male, a desktop user, and a Technophile are associated with higher engagement. The findings contribute to further understanding OGD initiatives and consumer health information behavior. More broadly, we demonstrate how OGD managers can leverage their web analytics data to understand which users are most engaged, thereby enabling them to better target their content.     

Alignment 2.0: Strategic use of new internet technologies in government

This paper challenges the view that strategies for using Web 2.0 should primarily be based upon technological characteristics. The value of the organizational strategic alignment approach for developing specific operational Web 2.0 strategies for government organizations is explored both theoretically and empirically. On the basis of a review of the literature we conclude that there are no a priori reasons why the idea of a fit between IT strategy and business strategic orientation cannot be applied to the development of operational Web 2.0 strategies for government organizations. The empirical exploration based on intervention research at the Dutch Department of Education results in the identification of five configurations: organizational transparency, organizational interactions, policy sector transparency, policy sector interactions and process and policy innovation. These configurations are logically consistent with the strategic orientations of the three directorates of the Department of Education. This overview does not pretend to be exhaustive but validates the idea that an alignment approach leads to differences in operational strategies. The configuration approach provides organizations with useful a starting point for developing their Web 2.0 strategies.     

The co-evolution of e-government and public libraries: Technologies,access, education,and partnerships

While many studies have discussed the impacts of electronic government (e-government) on public libraries, little research has considered the extent to which the current federal government's implementation of e-government relies on the public technology access, training, and support provided by public libraries. A range of data and policy materials are drawn upon in order to illuminate the co-evolution of public libraries and e-government. Beginning with a discussion of the development of e-government and its impacts in public libraries, the access, goals, and challenges of e-government are detailed as they relate to libraries, and the areas in which current implementations of e-government would not be possible without public libraries. Based on the explorations of the co-evolution of e-government and public libraries, key policy issues are offered that require reconceptualization in order to better support the interrelationship between e-government and public libraries.     

A prioritization-based analysis of local open government data portals: A case study of Chinese province-level governments

While most data originate within a local context, our knowledge about the realization of open government data (OGD) at local levels is limited due to the lack of systematic analysis of local OGD portals. Thus, we focus on a core question about analysing and guiding the development of local OGD portals. An evaluation framework is developed based on the comparison of related studies and principles. To fill the gap in existing frameworks which lack clarity in the prioritization process, Analytic Hierarchy Process together with an expert survey is used to derive priorities of elements of the framework. To test the capability of the framework in analysing and guiding the development of local OGD portals, a case study of Chinese province-level OGD portals has been carried out. Results show that data accessibility and quality matter more than data quantity for a local OGD portal. Currently, Chinese province-level OGD portals are in their infancy of development, with a great gap between Taiwan and Hong Kong with other portals. Data relating to local statistics, credit records, and budget and spending are well released on portals in China. Population size and the size and wealth of the local government show no significant relation with the number of datasets. By combining priorities of the framework with evaluation results, it could help local governments to recognise their present shortcomings and give them recommendations for recognizing directions for OGD portal's future development.     

The federal government and information technology standards: Building the national information infrastructure

For many years, standards have been important considerations in the Federal government's policies for the use of information technology. The Computer Systems Laboratory (CSL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology develops and issues technical standards that are used by the Federal government in its information technology systems. The new Federal initiative for the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and the National Performance Review (NPR) make information technology an agent for change and emphasize standards as a means for achieving connectivity of computer and telecommunications technologies and for easy access to information. The Federal government will be challenged to address the technical, organizational, and policy issues that affect the development of the standards needed for future information systems.     

Social media use in local government: Linkage of technology,task, and organizational context

Social media technologies have begun to enter the governmental workplace as tools to accomplish improved public service and engagement. Widespread recognition of the potential of social media technology for achieving public outcomes does not match our understanding about how and why specific tools are being used for specific purposes. This paper makes use of newly collected national survey data from local government managers in five different agencies to address the questions: which social media tools are being used, for which tasks or purposes; and what organizational characteristics influence the coupling of task and technology. Findings reveal patterns of social media tool application for particular purposes, although organizations do not all use social media tools in the same way. Moreover, regression analysis shows that different organizational factors – work characteristics, innovativeness, technology and management capacity and stakeholder influence – predict each of the four technology–task couplings — social media for dissemination, social media for feedback on service quality, social media for participation, and social media for internal work collaboration. This study demonstrates that social media tools are not a monolithic group and calls for greater research attention to the complex interactions among social media technology, task and organizational context.     

网络传播技术的发展与著作权保护

一般来讲,著作权就是为作者提供了一种工具,可以用来保护其作品在未经其许可时,他人不得私自占有、使用或利用.网络具有虚拟性,但它与现实世界存在密切联系,必然要接受法律的规范和调整.我国颁布的相关法律法规已跟不上网络技术的发展速度,为维护著作权人的合法权益,规范网络环境下作品使用秩序,必须设立和完善一些新的措施,应对网络技术发展带来的挑战.     

ATHENS,gateways, and portals: components of the Distributed National Electronic Resource

The Distributed National Electronic Resource is a central plank of the UK's Joint Information Systems Committee's strategy. We outline the background and definitions of the DNER and discuss some of the issues to be investigated and the collaboration required between stakeholders and their partners.     

流行病防控的媒介化：基于病毒、信息与社会的协同演进

流行病防控不确定性与人类社会行为复杂性高度相关。应对这种不确定性存在社群取向与技术取向两条基本理路,由于媒介化概念兼具社会(制度)属性与技术(资源)属性,预示着流行病防控理念与实践变革的重要方向。社会、政治与文化的媒介化,使流行病防控具备了媒介化特征:媒介作为公共卫生安全体系的构成要素、沟通渠道与物质资源,受到卫生防疫制度的调控与制约;同时,流行病防控体制机制的媒介化,也反过来塑造了公共卫生安全体系与卫生防疫制度本身。媒介化概念为流行病防控提供了一条"双向通路":一方面,媒介与信息嵌入到病毒传播扩散以及社会行为调整过程,建构了"病毒—行为"互动耦合网络,影响了流行病传播动力学特征,并为数字化流行病监测提供了新型数据来源及预警渠道;另一方面,流行病防控中的媒介实践作为制度性因素参与到健康概念社会建构、健康知识生产传播过程,为社会行动者提供了话语竞争、意义协商及制度博弈的公共场域,促进了主体关系、权力结构与社会秩序的变迁。     

A meta-analysis of the relationships between psychosocial problems and internet habits: Synthesizing internet addiction,problematic internet use,and deficient self-regulation research

Losses of self-control over Internet use, indicative of Internet habits, have caught the attention of the public for some time. A large collection of studies that theorize about and test the associations between psychosocial problems and Internet habits has been amassed over the last two decades. A meta-analytic review was used to determine the average correlations of Internet habits with loneliness and depression in existing research and explore several conditions under which these effects may vary. The cumulative correlations revealed that loneliness and depression were independently associated with Internet habits across the studies. Although the relationship between loneliness and Internet habits was stable across a number of different conditions, the depression-Internet habit association varied with age groups, year of publication, and sample types.     

网络论文的现状、问题及对策

网络论文以其迅猛的发展速度引起了人们的普遍关注，但同时也出现了一系列问题。本文着重探讨了网络论文的特点及现状，对出现的问题提出了解决的办法，并探讨了网络论文的发展方向。     

Towards a comprehensive understanding of digital transformation in government: Analysis of flexibility and enterprise architecture

Digital transformation (DT) is a strategic imperative for governments that aim to improve their services and efficiency. Despite high expectations regarding DT practices, there is limited empirical evidence on how governments are approaching DT in a hierarchical bureaucracy context and how flexibility is created to enable progression. In this research, we employed a case study approach to investigate and analyze DT based on relevant events occurring in a five-year period. A conceptual model was created by combining the diamond framework, the technology enactment framework, and enterprise architecture scope to facilitate the chronological analysis of these events and reflect upon the creation of flexibility. The findings indicate that DT in government spreads in waves with adaptations in different organizational elements, impacting the whole administrative system from the provincial level to the country level and including both radical and incremental changes. Flexibility increases alongside progress in DT and can be technology-enabled or policy-enabled. The creation of flexibility also depends on organizational elements and bureaucratic levels. This study advocates a cross-level view to comprehensively understand DT and offers insights to help other governments craft DT agenda.