Towards sustainable public organizations: the role of technology

Public organizations serve the public interest as responsive institutions embracing sustainability as a principle of governance opening to learning and change by interacting with citizens (Bryer, 2006). Co-production at the... [ view full abstract ]

Public organizations serve the public interest as responsive institutions embracing sustainability as a principle of governance opening to learning and change by interacting with citizens (Bryer, 2006). Co-production at the heart of public service delivery system contributes to sustain public value. Internet technologies help public organizations in developing an information or knowledge management approach in order to increase openness and engage citizens fostering participation driving public institutions and co-production towards sustainability. Internet Technologies enable public organizations to sustain public trust and promote public interest as institutions encouraging an active citizenship and collaboration by enhancing the interaction citizens-government (Denhardt and Denhardt, 2003; Vigoda, 2002; Denhardt and Denhardt, 2001). Co-production is at the heart of public services system as means for creating and maintaining public value and relies on dialogue and partnership between public organizations and various stakeholders (Stoker, 2006; Osborne, 2006). Citizens, clients and governmental organizations have to behave as active co-producers of public value (Moore, 1995) coherently with a public value management paradigm that emphasizes the relationships based on trust, legitimacy and outcomes as performance objectives (O’Flynn, 2007). The aim of this paper is to elucidate how new technologies lead public organizations and co-production towards sustainability developing an information or knowledge management approach to enhance openness as public value between ensuring transparency and promoting accountability, to enhance values of democracy by encouraging participation by engaging citizens in public policies choices ranging from information to active participation. The contribution of this study is to propose a framework of analysis to identify a path driving co-production of public services and public organizations towards a sustainable development. New technologies leading to sustainable e-governance help public organizations to develop an open government, enhance and modernize core processes by managing information or knowledge under increasing pressure to move towards sustainability to create public value (Misuraca, Broster and Centeno, 2012; Cong and Pandya, 2003; Wiig, 2002; Dumay, Guthrie and Farneti, 2010). New technologies support e-democracy by encouraging participation of citizens in policy making as the main determinants capable to orient different results in terms of services delivery and outcome, quality, efficiency and equity (Sæbø, Rose and Flak, 2008). The paper relies on a theoretical study and proposes an analytical model to identify a path driving public organizations and co-production towards sustainability. This study is based on archival and qualitative data by analysis and review of literature on the public sector investigating how new technologies help knowledge and information management to promote openness and participation. The paper is organized as follows. In the paragraphs two and three the characteristics of public organizations as responsive institutions seeking sustainability and co-production as a means for developing public services and value are elucidated. In the fourth paragraph new technologies lead public organizations to select an information or knowledge approach to promote openness and revitalize democracy fostering participation. In the fifth paragraph a framework of analysis is presented to identify a path driving public organizations and co-production to proceed towards sustainability. Finally, conclusions and future research perspectives follow.