E-governance: ICTs in the realm of the state |
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This research focus deals with applications and impacts of ICTs in the government arena, spanning across such diverse functions as rationalisation of administration, service innovation, democratic renewal and efficient governance in multi-level political systems. The analyses have started with a concentration on the introduction of e-government in the area of public administration (e-administration), especially regarding the interface between technology and organisation. With the expansion of online service delivery new challenges are gaining importance, such as reorganising service processes, co-operating across different tiers of government, guaranteeing access and secure communication for all as well as analysing economic and social impacts of e government. With the maturing implementation of administrative modernisation the research focus will also be expanded towards the largely neglected role of ICTs for policy-making and governance. Research will include potential contributions to improved coordination and coherence, efficient selection of relevant information under conditions of growing information overload and cooperation between policy-makers and administrative staff. Another research focus deals with potentials and constraints related to online participation which is commonly summarised under the heading of e-democracy. Against the backdrop of the claim of a socially accepted and balanced information society targeting the involvement of a wide range of societal actors, research in this area will be dedicated to the significance of online participation for political decision-making processes primarily undertaken at local and regional governance levels. In addition, technological innovations in the realm of elections and referenda (electronic voting) generate problems which challenge and question hitherto known and approved legal voting standards, such as the principle of the "secrete ballot". The ongoing research project DEMO_net intends to advance the way research is carried out in Europe with respect to quality, efficiency, innovation and impact to overcome the currently fragmented approach to online participation in this important research area.
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