Government Information Systems Research Articles

Design of computer‐based information systems for the Greek local government

Abstract A new centrally‐planned approach for the development of computer‐based information systems required by the Greek government is proposed. The overall structure and the technical characteristics of the new Greek local government information system at national level is outlined. A methodology is also proposed for the identification of the hardware and software needs of the individual local authorities and for the development of the necessary software.

Use of Special Event Data in Government Information Systems

Special event data are descriptions of extraordinary events that are important to the management of an organization. Such data explain or predict pattern interruptions in the time series data of an organization's performance measures; hence, they are useful, and perhaps vital, for explanation, program evaluation, and forecasting. Due to the fiscal stress being experienced in government today, it is becoming critical to engage more in decision making over medium and long-term horizons instead of just reacting and muddling through on a day-to-day basis. Data-based analyses-explanation, program evaluation, and forecasting-are crucial here, and special event data are important for intelligent use of the underlying performance data. Unfortunately, however, organizations (public, private, and nonprofit) do not generally have the tradition of collecting, storing, sharing, and using special event data. This paper identifies this state of affairs as a problem and provides methods to help remedy it. Several examples of special event data are presented in the first part of this paper. Following that is a review of trends in computing that further increase the need to work with special event data. After that, the paper presents methods for representing special event data in shared databases and methods for collecting special event data. The final section concludes the paper.

Local authority information systems in New Zealand with particular reference to road maintenance management

Two recent research studies have provided insights into the stage of development of information systems in territorial local government in New Zealand. This paper links a general study of existing information systems with preliminary results from an in-depth analysis of road maintenance management. These studies show conflicting levels of satisfaction with the available information service. This suggests that not only is there wide variety in the level of use of electronic data processing equipment, but that viewpoints also differ on minimum criteria for good management practice in local government. Road maintenance management is of considerable national importance in New Zealand and the major item of public service provision by territorial local government. Research effort is being directed towards defining road maintenance management information needs and identifying new system implementation strategies and problems. Within the constraints imposed by the present relatively low level of information technology in use, advances in the level of sophistication of management will require resolution of a wide range of issues, a sample of which is provided below: —who will manage organizational change in jobs, work flow and information production as new maintenance systems are adopted; —what educational programmes will be required for officials facing up to a new set of criteria for good local government management; —where has change of this kind been successfully introduced and what are the main characteristics of successful transition; —assuming systematic road maintenance management can produce more effective and efficient resource use, could not the new roading system form the basis of a “public utility service system” for managing such services as water, electricity supply and sewerage.

Medical Bibliography in an Age of Discontinuity

Scott Adams was an active participant in and keen observer of the information revolution that evolved rapidly after World War II. It is from this privileged vantage point that he presents to the biomedical community this well-written and insightful volume. Adams describes how large-scale government and private information and documentation systems developed as a direct result of greatly enhanced scientific and technological programs. He shows clearly how increased emphasis on missionoriented science (as opposed to science based on traditional academic disciplines) led to important changes in the existing bibliographic apparatus. The introduction provides a succinct description of several discontinuities that have resulted both from changes in the ecology of science and the development of new publication and communication technologies. The early chapters that follow give a highly informative historical perspective of how a changing national science policy resulted in vast federal expenditures in support of science. The main body of

Responsible Science Reporting in a Technological Age

Science reporting serves a critical role in educating and informing the public. In a democracy scientific and technological information takes on greater importance as the lay public assumes a decision making role in public policy. Examples of government and corporate information systems raise serious questions about what the public is told. Recent patterns in journalism and public relations only reinforce these problems. The science reporter/writer faces four important elements in trying to inform the public about scientific and technological developments. To successfully meet the challenge of those elements, new ethical and professional standards are suggested.

Corporate planning using government information systems

Agencies of the U.S. Government collect large quantities of data some of which are useful for private firms (eg) in developing long-range plans. However a problem arises in that considerable time may elapse before the data is published. As a result it often becomes too old for companies to use if they are operating in dynamic markets. The information system discussed in this paper (relating to the Fertilizer industry) bypasses this delay. It enables a private firm to have direct access to the files maintained by the National Fertilizer Development Centre of TVA.

Government information: new dimensions and challenges

Government information systems in Asia are often regarded as unimaginative conveyor belts of bureaucratic information. But lately, governments have come increasingly to depend on that information services not only for motivating the people and for the dissemination of information necessary for development, but also to induce people to postpone immediate consumer benefits for future gain. As the developmental situation in a given country today is far more complex than what it was 20 years ago, the government information systems have new dimensions and new challenges. Here, Sarath Amunugama takes a brief look at the prevailing situation with particular emphasis on his country, Sri Lanka.

The chief executive in local government information systems: Catalyst or barrier to innovation?

This study develops a construct of executive support for technological innovation and explores the correlates of its components. The context involves the perceptions of local government chief executives regarding the current and expected utility of computing technology. The findings suggest that executive support for the adoption of computing is flawed by unrealistic expectations and might contribute to overadoption of the technology.