Coproduction in the U.S. Department of Defense: Examining How the Evolution of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Expands Non‐Traditional Partner Engagement

Abstract

This study examines interactions between the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and its non‐traditional partners. Facilitated by advances in technology hardware and software, the nature of collaboration has changed significantly, shifting from authoritarian to symbiotic relationships. We find that DoD partners have expanded to include geographic information systems (GIS) and information technology professionals, and individual GIS users. As more non‐traditional, external partners become involved, the DoD attempts to exert informational power over its partners to assure data integrity and preserve data security. We consider an appropriate role for the DoD in a polycentric regime where public value increasingly is coproduced. This leads us to consider, by analogy, if there are other public policy arenas where data integrity and security concerns will lead to a similar approach.