Administrative Discretion in the Digital Age

Abstract

The article addresses the issues that are related to the administrative discretion amid digital transformation of public administration. The Author researches the change of “generations” of public officials — streetlevel, screen-level, system-level bureaucrats, reveals practical aspects of public officials and citizens interaction during different periods of time. Special attention is paid to the qualitative and quantitative transformations of discretionary powers of executive bodies and their officials: the Author mentions key scientific approaches to the issue of change of scope and content of discretionary powers, examines the public attitude to corresponding processes (on the example of the provision of public services institution), summarizes experience of some countries in gradual automation of executive and administrative activity in general and several administrative functions in particular. Moreover, so called digital discretion (digital administrative discretion, artificial discretion), its positive and negative sides, difficulties during the implementation are researched.