Information, Institutions and Governance: Advancing a Basic Social Science Research Program for Digital Government

Abstract:
In spite of significant innovation in information and communication technologies, digital government remains at an early stage of implementation.  The implications of information technology for government are as yet dimly perceived notwithstanding a wide stream of speculation and commentary on the future of democracy and the broader domain of governance.

With support from the National Science Foundation, the National Center for Digital Government organized and convened a major workshop to advance the development of a multidisciplinary, applied social science research agenda for digital government. The colloquium, and this report, synthesizes expert advice drawn from government executives working at the cutting edge of e-government and several of the nation’s foremost researchers from political science, public policy and management, sociology, economics and information science. Strong, global research capacity is a key element of improved policymaking, government operations, service delivery and resilient democracies.