Aspects of Information Systems for the Public Sector

IS479

Half/ full unit

Half

Dr Antonio Cordella,  Room tbc
Dr James Backhouse  Room tbc

Optional for MSc Analysis, Design and Management of Information Systems and MSc New Media, Information and Society. This course is available as an outside option to other MSc students

This course is a half-unit version of IS413 Information Systems for the Public Sector and cannot be taken with the latter course.  

This course is concerned with understanding the challenges faced by the public sector in implementing e-government policies.

The course explores the causes, consequences and challenges of government's adoption and implementation of initiatives based on the use of contemporary information and communication technologies. This is approached in terms of motivations, effects on the organization of public administration and socio-political impacts. Core questions addressed include: what distinguishes government as a site for technology based innovation; how government functions and practices are potentially changed by e-government initiatives; how public administrators respond; and the consequences for relationships between government, citizens and the private sector.

Lent term

Lectures

10 x 2 hours

Lent term

Classes

10 x 1 hours

Classes are used to discuss relevant papers and topics. The phased development of the assignment essay is supported by an initial submission of an essay proposal discussed in class. This work is assessed (10%) but also serves as formative feedback for the final essay.

Bovens, M. and S. Zouridis (2002) "From Street-Level to System-Level Bureaucracies: How Information and Communication Technology Is Transforming Administrative Discretion and Constitutional Control", Public Administration Review;, 62 (2), pp. 174-184.;

Chadwick, A and May, C (2003) Interaction between states and citizens in the age of the Internet: "e-government" in the United States, Britain and the European Union, Governance: An International Journal of Policy, Administration and Institutions, Vol. 16, No. 2, April.;

Cordella, A (2007), E-government: towards the e-bureaucratic form?, Journal of Information Technology, 22, 265–274;

Dunleavy, P, Margetts, H.; Bastow, S.; Tinkler, J. Digital era governance: IT corporations, the state and e-government. Oxford University Press, 2006.; Fountain, Jane E. (2001) Building the virtual state : information technology and institutional change, Washington, D.C. : Brookings Institution Press.;

Heeks, R. (1999) Reinventing Government in the Information Age, Routledge, New York.; Heeks, R. and Bailur, S. (2007). "Analysing eGovernment Research." Government Information Quarterly, 22 (2), pp. 243-265.;

Ho, A. T.-K. (2002) "Reinventing Local Government and the E-Government Initiative", Public Administration Review, 62 (4), pp. 434-444.;

Kakabadse, A., N. K. Kakabadse and A. Kouzmin (2003) "Reinventing the Democratic Project through Information Technology: A Growing Agenda for Debate", Public Administration Review, 63 (1), pp. 44-60.; Layne, K. and J. Lee (2001) "Developing Fully Functional E-Government: A Four-Stage Model", Government Information Quarterly, 18 (2), pp. 122-136.;

Margetts, H and Dunleavy, P (2002) Better Public Services through E-Government: Cultural Barriers to e-government, National Audit Office, London. on web at: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/01-02/0102704-iii.pdf;

Norris D F, (2003). 'Building the virtual state ... or not? A critical appraisal,' SSCR 21 (4): 417-424,

Peters, G (2000) "The Politics of Bureaucracy - Chapter 2"  from Peters, B. G. (2000) The Politics of Public Administration, Routledge, London.;

Yildiz M (2007) E-government research: reviewing the literature, limitations, and ways forward. Government Information Quarterly 24, 646–665, doi:10.1016/j.giq.2007.01.002 (accessed 1 August 2007);

A 1,000 word essay proposal in week 7 of LT (10%). Based on this, feedback is provided for an up to 5,000 word research essay on a chosen topic in public sector information systems and e-government (90%).