What do you think?
Rate this book
Building the Virtual State: Information Technology and Institutional Change
"
The benefits of using technology to remake government seem almost infinite. The promise of such programs as user-friendly ""virtual agencies"" and portals where citizens can access all sections of government from a single website has excited international attention. The potential of a digital state cannot be realized, however, unless the rigid structures of the contemporary bureaucratic state change along with the times. Building the Virtual State explains how the American public sector must evolve and adapt to exploit the possibilities of digital governance fully and fairly. The book finds that many issues involved in integrating technology and government have not been adequately debated or even recognized. Drawing from a rich collection of case studies, the book argues that the real challenges lie not in achieving the technical capability of creating a government on the web, but rather in overcoming the entrenched organizational and political divisions within the state. Questions such as who pays for new government websites, which agencies will maintain the sites, and who will ensure that the privacy of citizens is respected reveal the extraordinary obstacles that confront efforts to create a virtual state. These political and structural battles will influence not only how the American state will be remade in the Information Age, but also who will be the winners and losers in a digital society.
"
The benefits of using technology to remake government seem almost infinite. The promise of such programs as user-friendly ""virtual agencies"" and portals where citizens can access all sections of government from a single website has excited international attention. The potential of a digital state cannot be realized, however, unless the rigid structures of the contemporary bureaucratic state change along with the times. Building the Virtual State explains how the American public sector must evolve and adapt to exploit the possibilities of digital governance fully and fairly. The book finds that many issues involved in integrating technology and government have not been adequately debated or even recognized. Drawing from a rich collection of case studies, the book argues that the real challenges lie not in achieving the technical capability of creating a government on the web, but rather in overcoming the entrenched organizational and political divisions within the state. Questions such as who pays for new government websites, which agencies will maintain the sites, and who will ensure that the privacy of citizens is respected reveal the extraordinary obstacles that confront efforts to create a virtual state. These political and structural battles will influence not only how the American state will be remade in the Information Age, but also who will be the winners and losers in a digital society.
"
263 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2001
28 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 1, 2009
A deep and dense study (but quite readable if you pay attention) of
how information technology is being incorporated, and could be
incorporated, into government. The author draws from at least three
traditions in public policy, organizational management, and technology
enactment. I found lots of quotable passages. The book is mostly
theoretical but offers three major case studies and offers a few
prescriptions as well. If you're trying to implement change in
government, using technology to improve efficiency, responsiveness, or
public representation, this book can help explain the dynamics you
need to encounter--even though the book is now nine years old.
how information technology is being incorporated, and could be
incorporated, into government. The author draws from at least three
traditions in public policy, organizational management, and technology
enactment. I found lots of quotable passages. The book is mostly
theoretical but offers three major case studies and offers a few
prescriptions as well. If you're trying to implement change in
government, using technology to improve efficiency, responsiveness, or
public representation, this book can help explain the dynamics you
need to encounter--even though the book is now nine years old.
Displaying 1 of 1 review