2nd Edition
Digital Governance Applying Advanced Technologies to Improve Public Service
The application of digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) to reform governmental structures and public service is widely and perhaps naively viewed as the 21st century "savior", the enlightened way to reinvigorate democracy, reduce costs, and improve the quality of public services.
This book examines the transition from e-government to digital governance in light of the financial exigencies and political controversies facing many governments. The chapters concentrate on strategies for public sector organizational transformation and policies for improved and measurable government performance in the current contentious political environment. This fully updated second edition of Digital Governance provides strategies for public officials to apply advanced technologies, manage remote workforces, measure performance, and improve service delivery in current crisis-driven administrative and political environments. The full implementation of advanced digital governance requires fundamental changes in the relationship between citizens and their governments, using ICTs as catalysts for political as well as administrative communication. This entails attitudinal and behavioral changes, secure networks, and less dependence on formal bureaucratic structures (covered in Part I of this book); transformation of administrative, educational, and security systems to manage public services in a more citizen-centric way (covered in Part II); the integration of advanced digital technologies with remote broadband wireless internet services (Part III); and the creation of new forms of global interactive citizenship and self-governance (covered in Part IV). Author Michael E. Milakovich offers recommendations for further improvement and civic actions to stimulate important instruments of governance and public administration.
This book is required reading for political science, public administration, and public policy courses, as well as federal, state, and local government officials.
Part 1: Introduction and Overview: From Formal Bureaucracy to Digital Democracy. 1. From Centralized Government to Decentralized Results-Driven Smart Governance 2. The Transition From Electronic Government to Smart Digital Governance Part 2: Politics and Administration: Using Technology to Sustain Democracy and Improve Bureaucracy 3. From Representative to Digital Democracy: Using the Internet to Increase or Deter Citizen Participation 4. Citizen-Centric Remote Online Digital Governance 5. Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Protecting Public Records Part 3: Administration: Implementing Online Digital Governance 6. Administration and Equality of Access: Balancing Effectiveness with Political Responsiveness 7. Legislation and Regulation for Accountability and Performance Improvement 8. Applying Artificial Intelligence and Smart Technologies to Improve Performance and Results 9. Applying Digital Technologies to Improve Remote Delivery of Public Services Part 5: Globalization and Interactive Online Citizenship 10. Global Digital Governance Practices 11. Globalization, Immigration, and International Trade 12. Toward Global Citizenship and Digital Governance: Integrating Technology, Politics, and Public Administration
Biography
Michael E. Milakovich is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
"Every aspect of government is rapidly evolving in a digital direction. Myriad opportunities for improved performance are extensive, but at the same time often overwhelming to those who lead and manage often antiquated service systems to the new standards of digital technology that citizens have come to expect. The second edition of Michael Milakovich’s Digital Governance is very welcome as a necessary guide to the Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) applications that are empowering governments to fulfill their promises. Equally important, Milakovich offers powerful insights on avoiding the long-term negative effects that can accompany poor ICT implementation, resulting in declines in public trust. This volume is a necessary resource—indeed a best investment—not only for CIOs, but for all levels of public management from chief executives to line managers".
Marc Holzer, Suffolk University-Boston, USA
"With great clarity and convincing evidence, Milakovich portrays the central dilemmas of governance in the digital age: more citizen-centric, transparent, and participatory, and yet more vulnerable for security, misinformation, and inequality. His treatment of globalization as a crucial aspect of our networked world is a unique strength of this book, which is certain to provoke important debates about the transformation of governance".
Karen Mossberger, Arizona State University, USA
