eGovernance2.0: implications of Social Computing on public services

After presenting the emerging trends and drivers of Social Computing (also known as Web2.0) in the public sector, and outlining the opportunities and risks of Social Computing in relation to governance processes and public service delivery, the chapter highlights the implications and illustrates possible impacts of Social Computing on Public Governance. Here, Public Governance, or Governance for short, is used in a broad sense: multi-function (encompassing Policy/Regulatory Making and Service Delivery), multi-stakeholder (including the relationship between Public and Private Sectors as well as the involvement of Citizens), and multi-level (encompassing Global, National and local level). Anectodal evidence from research, in fact, indicates that Social Computing technologies, applications and values have been already adopted in many areas related to governance issues in the public sector. Social Computing affects several aspects of public governance influencing both citizen-government relations and back office activities of public administrations. Social Computing is also leading to new forms of participation, which could enhance social awareness and the involvement of users. In summary, Social Computing is already transforming relationships and ways of working within and between public sector organisations, opening the way to innovative service delivery and regulatory and policy-making mechanisms. The chapter concludes providing policy recommendations and indications for further research. As a matter of fact, despite evidence already shows multiple impacts of Social Computing on public service, this needs to be further documented, especially to fully demonstrate in which areas of the policy cycle it can play a role and in which not, and how to embed Social Computing into public sector strategies and policy making mechanisms and make it mainstream and effectively impacting in a positive manner our society.

MISURACA Gianluca; 

2013-02-01

IGI Global

JRC61737

ISBN13: 9781466600713,    ISBN10: 1466600713,    EISBN13: 9781466600720,   

http://www.igi-global.com/book/public-service-governance-web-technologies/56009,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC61737,   

10.4018/978-1-4666-0071-3.ch007,