The impact of functional decentralization and externalization on local government transparency

Local governments are increasingly establishing functional decentralized agencies, such as autonomous organizations, public companies, foundations and public business entities to provide public services. Furthermore, they are also introducing the private sector, contracting out public services to a private company and creating mixed companies. Our aim is to analyze the effect of functional decentralization and externalization (outsourcing or contracting out) processes on public transparency levels, since theoretically, they are aimed toward good governance and accountability. To do so, we use a sample composed of the 110 largest Spanish cities for the period 2008–2010. The results show that decentralized agencies, especially public companies and foundations, impact positively on levels of public transparency. However, there is no evidence that suggests that the introduction of the private sector, using outsourcing and mixed companies, affects the transparency of local governments.     

The impact of explanatory factors on a bidimensional model of transparency in Spanish local government

The aim of this paper is to analyse the transparency provided by local public managers and to determine whether this disclosure is limited to the minimum quantity permissible (in accordance with Agency Theory) or whether a maximum amount of information is supplied (following Legitimacy Theory). To do so, we present a Bidimensional Transparency Index (BTI), developed as an instrument for measuring the provision of information (i.e. e-disclosure), which contains two components, breadth and depth, to reflect the pattern of behaviour observed. The results obtained show that on average local managers disclose information corresponding to 60% of the indicators considered, but that only 52% of these indicators of transparency present a moderate or considerable depth of content. These findings reflect a pattern of limited information disclosure, with incomplete information. In addition, our study shows that explanatory factors have an asymmetric impact on the components of the BTI.     

Explaining the transparency of local government websites through a political market framework

This paper contributes to the literature on government transparency by addressing the question of what drives the differences in local government levels of transparency. Our main objective is to ascertain whether transparency is mainly driven by the leadership, capacity and other political traits of the local governments themselves – “supply-side determinants” – or, rather, if it hinges on social, cultural and/or other local community factors (“demand-side” determinants). We test the hypotheses derived from this theoretical framework using the results of the Municipal Transparency Index which is based on the information disclosed in the local governments' official websites and was applied to all Portuguese municipalities for the first time in 2013. Our findings indicate that municipalities with less financial autonomy, run by male mayors, with a larger number of consecutive terms in office, and smaller margins of victory in local elections display lower levels of transparency. On the demand-side, the unemployment rate and the average age of the municipal population emerge as the best predictors and are both negatively associated with transparency.     

A comparative study of e-government XBRL implementations: The potential of improving information transparency and efficiency

This study examines the e-government implementation of eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) to increase accountability and transparency in business and financial information. The business and financial information gathered in XBRL format is machine-readable and interoperable, thereby improving the ease of public dissemination and analysis. This study focuses on identifying and examining the determinants of successful XBRL implementation and draws from several bodies of literature: e-government, institutionalism, collaborative public management, regulatory compliance, and management information systems to identify determinants of successful implementation. This study selects four diverse implementations: the Netherlands, Australia, the United States, and Singapore. Empirical analysis follows a comparative case study method. The findings of this exploratory study underscore the importance of program goals and strategic alignment in achieving information transparency and efficiency, the advantage of strategies correlating to institutional setting, the critical need to provide incentives for adoption, and the usefulness of incremental implementation. The managerial and theoretical implications of these findings as well as future research opportunities are explored.     

An analysis of African e-Government service websites

In most African countries, compared to any other part of the world, the use of information and communication technologies such as those necessary to provide e-Government services is minimal. The continent was once labeled a “technological desert.” The contributing factors, among others, are lack of infrastructure, low literacy rates, low economic development, and a variety of cultural factors. Despite these obstacles, most African countries have made noticeable progress during the last couple of decades. Almost all African governments now have some presence on the Web, including fully fledged e-Government web portals, albeit in small numbers. However, the current status of e-Government services in African countries is not well documented in detail. We present results of a comprehensive analysis of 582 e-Government service websites with respect to the type of websites, the services and features available, as well as the level of development of e-Government services. We also compute e-Government indexes, produce e-Government rankings, and compare our rankings to previous ones. A clear picture that emerges from our analysis and results is that although progress has been made, there is a long way to go, to bridge not only the North–South divide when it comes to e-Government services but also among the various sub-regions. In addition, recommendations for future researchers regarding e-Government services in Africa are made.     

Seeking electronic information from government resources: A comparative analysis of two communities' web searching of municipal government websites

This study examines queries submitted through two municipal government websites over a 3-year period to discover patterns in information seeking that current web log analysis literature have not discovered or addressed. The findings reveal: in spite of subtle differences strong similarities remain between two different communities' information needs from municipal government websites; demographic variables and close physical proximity do not appear to affect these similarities; there appears to be a belief that municipal government websites can deliver all types of information; and, using methods presented in this paper, municipal governments may better manage their online information resources.     

Trust and transformational government: A proposed framework for research

This paper examines the concepts of trust and transformational government, both of which have been the subject of increasing attention in recent times. It explores what trust and transformation mean, or could mean, for government, governance and public administration and whether transformational government is just a feel-good phrase or a genuinely new departure. As part of this, the question of what precisely is being, or could be, transformed is examined. The results of this examination suggest that the expectation that technology-enabled change has the ability to increase citizen trust, thereby transforming government may be too high, but that more research is needed. A framework for such research is proposed.     

Mandated state-level open government training programs

Although every state in the country has recognized the importance of government transparency by enacting open government provisions, few of those statutes require training programs to encourage records custodians to comply with the law. Ten states mandate training in how to legally respond to public records requests, and some mandates are stronger than others. Using the qualitative research methods of legal statutory analysis, interviews, and content analysis, this paper explores how those states comply with the training mandates. The paper evaluates trainers' pedagogical goals, their opinions of the process, and their perceptions of the people they train. It concludes with suggestions for how states can develop open government training programs.     

Social media in Egyptian government websites: Presence,usage, and effectiveness

This paper examines the presence, usage, and effectiveness of Egyptian government social media websites. The adoption of social media technology provides an illustration of the application of New Public Service (NPS) theory to public administration. The first phase of this study examined the presence of social media applications on these government websites. The second phase analyzed the use of Facebook by governmental entities in Egypt. The use of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube were the top social media applications in Egyptian government websites, which is consistent with other government surveys of social media found in developed countries. In terms of effectiveness of these social media websites, they were used mainly to post information, with very little two-way interaction between citizens and government. The analysis in this paper shows that social media in Egypt is not much in line with the NPS theory.     

Analyzing the role of stakeholders in the adoption of technology integration solutions in UK local government: An exploratory study

Over the last decade many governments across the world have intensified their efforts to improve efficiency of public services through Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-enabled transformation of Local Government Authorities (LGAs). Many of these efforts involve implementing new Information Systems and Technology (IS/IT) and integrating various disparate legacy systems to deliver improved services. While there is a surfeit of literature that have outlined the various organizational and technical challenges posed by Technology Integration Solutions (TIS), few studies have examined the role of stakeholders and surrounding challenges when implementing TIS in LGAs. The TIS adoption process involves several stakeholders, each with specific domain knowledge and expertise that are crucial to the success of TIS projects. In this paper, the authors use the concept of stakeholder theory to analyze the role of stakeholders during the TIS adoption process with regards to their perceptions on the factors influencing TIS adoption in LGAs and their involvement on the adoption lifecycle phases. A qualitative multiple case study approach is adopted to empirically highlight the different categories of stakeholders involved in the TIS adoption process, the dynamic nature and importance of their role, and why their domain knowledge and expertise are vital for TIS projects.     

Providing access to local government information: The nature of public library activity

This article focuses on the problems associated with providing access to local government information. The research on which it is based is from a 1986 survey conducted by the author of 265 public libraries in six library systems in northern Illinois, the largest comparative study of public library providers of local government information conducted to date. Fifty-five active providers of local government information (those that received requests for this information at least every two weeks) were identified: the findings are based on telephone and group interviews with key staff of those libraries. The article examines a variety of methods that might be used to increase access to local government information. It analyzes the nature of requests received and the types of responses given by these libraries. It examines the major problems associated with providing access to local government information and discusses the reasons given by librarians for providing access to local government information sources. The article concludes that a serious local government information gap exists and that librarians who seek to over-come it must articulate a role that addresses the serious barriers that must be overcome before a library can provide meaningful access to local government information.     

Providing census tabulations to government security agencies in the United States: The case of Arab Americans

In the summer of 2004, it was revealed that the U.S. Census Bureau had provided tabulations in 2002 and 2003 on Arab Americans to the Department of Homeland Security that included detailed information on the number of people of Arab backgrounds living in selected ZIP codes. Although not a violation of law, the Census Bureau realized that this perceived breach of confidentiality would have a negative impact on public trust, and within a few months following the news of the Arab American tabulations it announced that it would no longer assist law enforcement and intelligence agencies with tabulations on ethnic groups and other sensitive populations. In spite of this damage control, we believe that the Bureau's tabulation of Arab Americans provides momentum to a process that adversely affects data quality by increasing both non-response and the cost of obtaining survey and census data. We argue that there are no “methodological fixes” that can repair the damage, and further that public relations campaigns and internal administrative changes are not optimal solutions because of the governing structure within which the Bureau currently operates. Ultimately, the best way to limit the damage already done is to effect a political solution. Toward this end we describe short- and long-term actions. In the long run, we recommend removing the Census Bureau from the Executive branch of government and re-structuring it under a permanent and non-political oversight panel similar to either the Federal Reserve Board or the Congressional Budget Office. Such a move would make a strong statement that the Bureau is non-partisan federal statistical agency.     

Evaluating the readiness of government portal websites in China to adopt contemporary public administration principles

This article aims to evaluate whether the e-government development in China is ready to adopt contemporary public administration principles. In response to these questions, we propose an evaluation framework that integrates the contemporary public administration principles and current web-quality evaluation theories. The proposed framework evaluates government portal websites in terms of their content, function, and construction, following the theory of website evaluation. The indices for each of these dimensions emphasize interactions, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness, all of which reflect the contemporary public administration principles. The validation analysis shows that the proposed evaluation framework well fits the data. The empirical studies suggest that China has implemented advanced e-government services.     

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.     

Using ICTs to create a culture of transparency: E-government and social media as openness and anti-corruption tools for societies

In recent years, many governments have worked to increase openness and transparency in their actions. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are seen by many as a cost-effective and convenient means to promote openness and transparency and to reduce corruption. E-government, in particular, has been used in many prominent, comprehensive transparency efforts in a number of nations. While some of these individual efforts have received considerable attention, the issue of whether these ICT-enabled efforts have the potential to create a substantive social change in attitudes toward transparency has not been widely considered. This paper explores the potential impacts of information and ICTs – especially e-government and social media – on cultural attitudes about transparency.     

Factors affecting openness of local government websites: Examining the differences across planning,finance and police departments

The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in public organizations increasingly holds the potential to improve transparency, accountability, and public participation, by providing a more effective and efficient disclosure of information to the citizens and organizations and by providing channels for interaction with the government. While transparency and interactivity features of government websites constitute two critical elements for public participation and democracy facilitated by web-based technologies, little research has been done to explain why some public organizations choose to deploy website technology more openly with these features. This paper aims to examine the managerial, organizational, and environmental factors that are related to variation in transparency and interactivity features of local government websites, which we believe are key dimensions to governmental website openness. The paper first develops a literature informed conceptual model of governmental website openness and then tests this model using data from a national survey of 850 government managers in 500 cities. The model results are compared across three different departments: community development, finance, and police department. Overall findings indicate that higher website openness is positively related to increased frequency of public participation in agency decision making and civil society influence, increased technical capacity, lower organizational control, and higher perceived usefulness of website technology. In addition, due to differences in the operating contexts of the departments, the effects of organizational control, technical capacity, environmental influences, and perceived usefulness of website technology on governmental website openness tend to differ by the type of department.     

Explaining the low utilization of government websites: Using a grounded theory approach

The low utilization of government websites is a worldwide problem, and many governments have been criticized for this reason. Several existing fields are relevant to this complex phenomenon, but few succeed in providing a holistic explanation because of their segmentary perspectives and limitations in conceptual innovation due to deductive paradigms. In order to explore the mechanism of government website utilization from a more integrated perspective, a grounded theory approach is adopted in this study. 51 respondents were interviewed and a grounded theoretical model for government website utilization was generated. The contributions of this study include: (1) developing a holistic understanding on the mechanism of government website utilization, (2) identifying a few new theoretical concepts that were not explored in previous studies, (3) revealing that value acquisition is the essence of government website utilization, and (4) formulating a derivative conceptual model for delineating the process of information source selection.     

Perceptions of transparency of government policymaking: A cross-national study

In the past two decades, governments from around the world have adopted access-to-information laws at a rate unlike any other time in history. This reform in government information policy parallels a global movement of intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, which have pressed countries to advance the norm of transparency. Competition in the global economy has also provided a strong incentive for governments to show openness, as business leaders and donor nations contend that access-to-information is critical for efficient markets. Given the growing interaction between governments and transnational firms, and the global emphasis on access-to-information, this cross-national study examines the relationship between business executives' perceptions of transparency in government policymaking, and several indicators suggested in the literature as means to advance the flow of information about government. The study found countries that respondents ranked as ‘most transparent’ had significantly higher levels of access-to-information laws, telecommunication infrastructure, E-Government, free press, and higher income levels, than countries with low transparency levels. Our regression findings indicate that telecommunications infrastructure and free press influenced the perceptions of government transparency in a positive and significant way. The evidence indicates that democracy did not contribute toward the perceptions of transparency. The findings also suggest that nations aiming for openness by adopting access-to-information laws and engaging in E-Government may signal to businesses that their governments are aware of the international norm of transparency—though these conditions are not necessarily sufficient to advance the perceptions of government transparency.     

The accessibility of Chinese local government Web sites: An exploratory study

With the rapid development of Chinese e-government, Chinese citizens are encouraged to access e-government services as their convenience. However, the accessibility of Chinese e-government Web sites has been overlooked. This research study tries to provide an overview of the accessibility of Chinese local government Web sites. Three hundred twenty-four Chinese local government Web sites were examined to find out how accessible they are with reference to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG) published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This research found that all the surveyed Chinese e-government Web sites failed one or more W3C's accessibility measures and thus many disabled Chinese people may have substantial problems to access them. Several valuable recommendations are made based on the research findings and the China's actual conditions.