Media, ICT and policy.
Hc 1.
Looking at the news; there is so much behind the image that we as people get. Looking behind the
scenes and how this influence the news.
Defining technology.
Beninger: “Intentional extension of a natural process”.
Sahal: “Configurations of tools”.
Technology is about the combination of things and processes.
Almost everything is technology (see the two characterizes above).
There are different types of technology.
The managerial approach is a top-down approach.
o Politics is a managerial approach.
o Cameras are managerial because it’s not available for everyone.
The participatory approach is a bottom-up approach.
o Social media, telephones ect. are participatory approaches; because people doesn’t
only see what the meaning of politicians. But also the opinion of other citizens.
What is policy?
Public policy, Dye: “Anything a government choose to do or not to do”.
Howlett & Cashore: it also has to be intentional, governmental and course of action.
There are many ways in which ICT, policy and media have influence on each other.
Margett’s view of ICT and government.
ICT has been used to carry on the Weberian project of making public administration more
rational. Bureaucracy could make government just, consistent and ethical.
Clear role of technology in all tools of government: authority, treasure and organizational
capacity/ ICT is NOT neutral.
The impact of the internet:
o ICTs drive economic growth.
o External interactions more possible.
o Build and learn processes of organizational development.
o Qualitative difference of internet technologies.
Margett: practitioner approach.
Beniger: explanatory approach.
Benefits of new technology to government.
, 1. Reduce costs.
2. Capture total benefits of investment.
3. Support legitimacy.
4. Support economic growth (make sure more people communicate faster and better, and get
more information).
5. Reduce administrative burdens (when you have to do something that costs a lot of time).
6. Increase user satisfaction.
Beniger’s view: the control revolution.
Perhaps it is true that they can make government work better. But he thinks there is something
deeper going on -> the desire of government to have control.
Bureaucracy is the technology of control.
There is a need for more control in society. Because of the industrial revolution, there are a
lot of big changes. The government needs to have control about the situation.
Technology is NOT there to make life better, but is there because government needs to
control.
Critic on Weber, society is more complicated to control, it is necessary to have control.
Margett agrees with Beniger about the necessary need of control. But she doesn’t agree with
him on the fact that there is one kind of modernist.
Margett says there are 3 types of modernists:
1. Hyper-modernist: they love change. Always want the most new things.
2. Anti-modernist: they are against machines and revolution (destroying machines).
3. Postmodernist: crucial view on modern views.
Hc 2.
What is special about ICT in government? -> it is NOT driven by profit.
Defining technology.
“intentional extension of a natural process” -> designed to meet a need.
“configuration of tools”
Technology is a tool that does something for you, it isn’t necessarily mechanical.
1990: technology becomes more participative instead of managerial.
Participatory or managerial approaches.
About the function of different technologies.
Managerial = top-down approach.
Participative = bottom-up approach -> having an influence in what takes place.
1990: evolution of internet -> shift to participative -> ability to give people a chance to voice their
opinion (social media).
, What is policy? “anything a government chooses to do or not to do”.
Intentional.
Governmental.
Course of action.
The e-government maturity model.
Vertical integration = multiple systems linked. Vertical layers within government are linked.
Horizontal integration = go to one place for multiple systems -> one stop shop.
Hierarchies and bureaucracy.
Based on law. One decision at the top of hierarchy affects the bottom.
Weber: personal preferences should NOT matter, everything should be done the same way.
Not a lot of disagreement, based on same laws.
Lack of democracy, abuse from higher level, communication level.
The problem of organizational silos (stove pipe) -> no flexibility, no communication between ‘silos’.
Hierarchical system: creates silos, short thinking.
Tendency to specialization.
Bureaucratic paradigm to e-gov paradigm.
Bureaucratie paradigm e-government paradigm
Service delivery Standardized and impersonal, Non-face-to-face, electronic
face-to-face contact exchange, customized and
Hc 1.
Looking at the news; there is so much behind the image that we as people get. Looking behind the
scenes and how this influence the news.
Defining technology.
Beninger: “Intentional extension of a natural process”.
Sahal: “Configurations of tools”.
Technology is about the combination of things and processes.
Almost everything is technology (see the two characterizes above).
There are different types of technology.
The managerial approach is a top-down approach.
o Politics is a managerial approach.
o Cameras are managerial because it’s not available for everyone.
The participatory approach is a bottom-up approach.
o Social media, telephones ect. are participatory approaches; because people doesn’t
only see what the meaning of politicians. But also the opinion of other citizens.
What is policy?
Public policy, Dye: “Anything a government choose to do or not to do”.
Howlett & Cashore: it also has to be intentional, governmental and course of action.
There are many ways in which ICT, policy and media have influence on each other.
Margett’s view of ICT and government.
ICT has been used to carry on the Weberian project of making public administration more
rational. Bureaucracy could make government just, consistent and ethical.
Clear role of technology in all tools of government: authority, treasure and organizational
capacity/ ICT is NOT neutral.
The impact of the internet:
o ICTs drive economic growth.
o External interactions more possible.
o Build and learn processes of organizational development.
o Qualitative difference of internet technologies.
Margett: practitioner approach.
Beniger: explanatory approach.
Benefits of new technology to government.
, 1. Reduce costs.
2. Capture total benefits of investment.
3. Support legitimacy.
4. Support economic growth (make sure more people communicate faster and better, and get
more information).
5. Reduce administrative burdens (when you have to do something that costs a lot of time).
6. Increase user satisfaction.
Beniger’s view: the control revolution.
Perhaps it is true that they can make government work better. But he thinks there is something
deeper going on -> the desire of government to have control.
Bureaucracy is the technology of control.
There is a need for more control in society. Because of the industrial revolution, there are a
lot of big changes. The government needs to have control about the situation.
Technology is NOT there to make life better, but is there because government needs to
control.
Critic on Weber, society is more complicated to control, it is necessary to have control.
Margett agrees with Beniger about the necessary need of control. But she doesn’t agree with
him on the fact that there is one kind of modernist.
Margett says there are 3 types of modernists:
1. Hyper-modernist: they love change. Always want the most new things.
2. Anti-modernist: they are against machines and revolution (destroying machines).
3. Postmodernist: crucial view on modern views.
Hc 2.
What is special about ICT in government? -> it is NOT driven by profit.
Defining technology.
“intentional extension of a natural process” -> designed to meet a need.
“configuration of tools”
Technology is a tool that does something for you, it isn’t necessarily mechanical.
1990: technology becomes more participative instead of managerial.
Participatory or managerial approaches.
About the function of different technologies.
Managerial = top-down approach.
Participative = bottom-up approach -> having an influence in what takes place.
1990: evolution of internet -> shift to participative -> ability to give people a chance to voice their
opinion (social media).
, What is policy? “anything a government chooses to do or not to do”.
Intentional.
Governmental.
Course of action.
The e-government maturity model.
Vertical integration = multiple systems linked. Vertical layers within government are linked.
Horizontal integration = go to one place for multiple systems -> one stop shop.
Hierarchies and bureaucracy.
Based on law. One decision at the top of hierarchy affects the bottom.
Weber: personal preferences should NOT matter, everything should be done the same way.
Not a lot of disagreement, based on same laws.
Lack of democracy, abuse from higher level, communication level.
The problem of organizational silos (stove pipe) -> no flexibility, no communication between ‘silos’.
Hierarchical system: creates silos, short thinking.
Tendency to specialization.
Bureaucratic paradigm to e-gov paradigm.
Bureaucratie paradigm e-government paradigm
Service delivery Standardized and impersonal, Non-face-to-face, electronic
face-to-face contact exchange, customized and
