Examining City e-Government 2.0: Social Media and Local Government Effectiveness in Thailand

In recent years, information technology has been one of the central features of public management reform. The public administration literature has highlighted the potential contribution of the internet to enhance government... [ view full abstract ]

In recent years, information technology has been one of the central features of public management reform. The public administration literature has highlighted the potential contribution of the internet to enhance government effectiveness and citizen participation. Web 2.0 tools and platforms, particularly social networks, provide virtual space for public officials and citizens to interact and collaborate with one another. This study examines the rhetoric and reality of e-government 2.0 in four city governments in Northeast Thailand. The objective is to assess the consequences of Web 2.0 adoption on these city governments’ effectiveness and responsiveness from a citizens’ perspective. Using data obtained from the 2015 Smart Secondary City Survey funded by Microsoft Corporation, the study explores the current state of Web 2.0 implementation in the four northeastern cities. This study finds that Web 2.0 adoption by the four city governments is still at an early stage and has fallen short of transforming public service delivery that the e-government rhetoric has promised. Direct citizen involvement in the four city governments’ decision making is limited. Citizens do not felt that they can influence important policy decisions through online social networking. The city governments have not used the Web 2.0 platforms in functions other than receiving citizen complaints and publicizing city government activities. However, e-government 2.0 has the possibility of enhancing democratic responsiveness. Based on citizens’ perceptions, the city governments in this study are responsive to their requests and complaints lodged via social media.