Municipal Websites Research Articles

Analysis of Provincial and Municipal Regulations Governing Crustacean Welfare in Italy.

The trade in live crustaceans implies keeping these animals alive after capture and/or farming until purchase by the final consumer. Regarding animal welfare, the European Union includes cephalopods in Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, but there are no further regulations on crustaceans in EU legislation. The present study analysed the provisions of Italian municipal regulations on animal welfare applicable to crustaceans. Only 62 of the 110 municipal websites of the provincial capitals reported a regulation safeguarding animal welfare. These regulations contain different rules on: aquaria characteristics (size, volume and shape); management of aquaria; maintenance (preservation and exposure) of live aquatic species; slaughtering and/or suppression of aquatic species and crustaceans; tying of crustacean claws; and crustacean cooking. The analysis on Italian municipal regulations on crustaceans’ animal welfare showed that the provisions are vague, lacking uniformity and scientific guidelines.

El diseño de las sedes web municipales de España. Una propuesta metodológica para su análisis

En este trabajo son examinados los principales aspectos del diseño de las sedes web municipales de España; esto es: su apariencia visual, su arquitectura de la información y su usabilidad. Para el acometimiento de este propósito se efectuó un análisis de contenido, método paradigmático de la investigación en comunicación. Una de las tareas fundamentales del protocolo de análisis consiste en la elaboración de un libro de códigos que, en este caso, se compuso de 41 variables. Asimismo, y tras la agrupación estratégica y razonada de algunos de esos ítems, se creó un Índice de Calidad Formal, destinado a la evaluación de los 500 sitios web que conformaron la muestra del estudio.

Availability and findability of FOI and privacy statements on Finnish municipalities’ websites

FOI and privacy statements are statements in which an organization inform users about the accessibility of the digital and analog information in its custody and the privacy policy it has adopted. This study examined whether Finnish municipalities have posted FOI and privacy statements on their websites.At the first phase 309 municipal websites were examined to see whether the statements were located on the front page or if there were direct links to them at the front page. If the website did not have FOI or privacy statement or a link to statements at the front page, then it was studied whether the statements could be found easily in the municipal website by making a simple search. At the second phase 38 municipal websites were studied.The study resulted that FOI and privacy statements are non-existent on Finnish municipal websites. The study also revealed while there is sometimes an effort to provide information on municipal FOI and privacy practices, the information is scattered on the website and it is not easy to find. This is in accordance with the previous studies in other countries. Interestingly, long tradition of Finnish FOI legislation does not seem to make a difference when it comes to informing users about FOI and privacy policies.Future studies should examine how aware are the citizens about FOI and privacy rights; whether the citizens trust authorities in handling information; and what are the reasons why authorities ignore to inform the citizens about FOI and privacy practices.

Web accessibility legislation in Italy: a survey 10 years after the Stanca Act

Ten years after the enactment of the Stanca Act in Italy, the paper presents a survey regarding the accessibility of municipal Web sites. This study aims at checking the application of WCAG 2.0 guidelines to Italian municipalities Web sites and to understand what are the problems that still need to be solved to obtain a universal access to public local content in Italy.

Index for comparative assessment of municipal websites

Municipal corporations are important components of urban local governance. In India, these are responsible for many services including tax payments by citizens. In today's digital age, e-governance is a step towards effective utilisation of information and communication technology (ICT) for the flow of information between government and its stakeholders, delivery of public e-services and e-participation implementation. The present study proposes a detailed three-level framework municipal website quality assessment index (MWQAI) for assessment of municipal websites of India which may also be used for other developing countries. As a prototype of its use, qualities of seven municipal websites in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India are studied using MWQAI and other assessment instruments. Such a study enables comparative assessment of the websites to appraise their sophistication levels. More importantly, it provides suggestions for up-gradation of websites in the context of qualities of information provided, interactions, transactions and citizen-oriented services.

Index for Comparative Assessment of Municipal Websites

Municipal corporations are important components of urban local governance. In India, these are responsible for many services including tax payments by citizens. In today's digital age, e-governance is a step towards effective utilisation of information and communication technology (ICT) for the flow of information between government and its stakeholders, delivery of public e-services and e-participation implementation. The present study proposes a detailed three-level framework municipal website quality assessment index (MWQAI) for assessment of municipal websites of India which may also be used for other developing countries. As a prototype of its use, qualities of seven municipal websites in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India are studied using MWQAI and other assessment instruments. Such a study enables comparative assessment of the websites to appraise their sophistication levels. More importantly, it provides suggestions for up-gradation of websites in the context of qualities of information provided, interactions, transactions and citizen-oriented services.

An Evaluation Scheme for Local e-Government and Local e-Democracy: The Case of Greek Municipalities

The purpose of this study is the development of a citizen-centric framework for the evaluation of municipal websites that is validated in the context of Greek local governments. The proposed model consists of four categories, 14 factors/indices and 83 criteria. The framework incorporates the different aspects of e-government as well as e-democracy. To develop and validate the model two researches were conducted: one survey that captured citizens' opinions about the important e-government features and a website analysis to check the level of e-government sophistication of Greek local government websites. Results of citizens' survey served as input for the weighting of the model metrics. The analysis of the Greek municipal websites indicated that municipalities performed moderately in regards to the disclosure of one-way information while they scored low in the provision of online services for citizens and businesses and the opportunities they offer for citizens' interaction and participation.

An evaluation scheme for local e-government and local e-democracy: the case of Greek municipalities

The purpose of this study is the development of a citizen-centric framework for the evaluation of municipal websites that is validated in the context of Greek local governments. The proposed model consists of four categories, 14 factors/indices and 83 criteria. The framework incorporates the different aspects of e-government as well as e-democracy. To develop and validate the model two researches were conducted: one survey that captured citizens' opinions about the important e-government features and a website analysis to check the level of e-government sophistication of Greek local government websites. Results of citizens' survey served as input for the weighting of the model metrics. The analysis of the Greek municipal websites indicated that municipalities performed moderately in regards to the disclosure of one-way information while they scored low in the provision of online services for citizens and businesses and the opportunities they offer for citizens' interaction and participation.

A Proposal of Assessment for Local Government E-Participation

This work tries to demonstrate that it is possible to apply a quantifiable evaluation criterion to citizen participation initiatives using the information available on municipal web portal. We begin with a literature review in order to define the concept of Citizen Participation and its role in local administration, along with determining the appropriate contents that should be available on municipal websites. Then we go on to design an indicator to measure level of citizen participation on the websites and the subsequent testing of the websites of various cities in the world in order to verify their validity. The results obtained show comparable quantitative values in spite of the cultural, geographic and legislative differences of the cities chosen.

Are small cities online? Content, ranking, and variation of U.S. municipal websites

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) promise to increase government transparency, accountability, and civic engagement by providing information about government activities and enabling electronic interaction with community members. Drawing from a content analysis of 500U.S. city websites from two points in time, we examine the prevalence and growth of ICTs used by municipalities ranging in population from 25,000 to 250,000 from 2010 to 2014. We present the results of the content analysis, outlining the prevalence of five categories of ICTs – information tools, e-services, utility, transparency, and civic engagement features - and investigating how type of ICT adoption is related to city size, form of government, and technical capacity. We then rank the 500 cities based on 27 ICT features and note how those rankings have changed over the four-year period. We conclude with a discussion of municipal use of ICTs and what this means for governments and the communities they serve.

Adopting and Refining e-services — the Role of Organization Size

Information and communication technology (ICT) has become increasingly important in public service provision (e-services). Although most studies conclude that large organizations have higher quality e-service systems, few have studied if the effect of size persist over time. Empirically, this article reports how organizational size affects adoption and development of e-services in all Norwegian municipalities over a 13 year period (2001–2013). Seven different studies, conducted by four independent institutions, mapped the existence and quality of municipal web-sites. Controlling for several system characteristics, the study indicates that size has ambiguous effects concerning adoption, but a strong and positive effect on the quality of e-services.

Inequality in Local Digital Politics: How Different Preconditions for Citizen Engagement Can Be Explained

Digital technologies have struggled to achieve more equal participation in politics, the so‐called “unresolved dilemma of democracy.” Previous research has emphasized the drivers of involvement in digital politics from an individual perspective, but studies looking at the general prerequisites of online engagement in politics are lacking. Not much attention has been directed toward the supply side, namely the online presence of political actors and the structures created by them. Applying a mixed‐method design, this article examines the supply of channels for digital politics distributed by Swedish municipalities. Quantitative data collected from municipality websites are used for both a description and explanation of the varying opportunities for involvement encountered by Swedish citizens as a result of where they live. Two extreme cases are then examined in depth in which preconditions for involvement are particularly weak. We find that significant variation exists between municipalities and that these patterns are explained primarily by population size, but also by economic conditions and education levels. The cases show how a lack of policies and unenthusiastic politicians creates poor possibilities for development. The findings also verify previous notions that without demand from citizens, in combination with internal ambition from politicians, successful provision of services for digital politics will be hard to achieve.

Recognizing citizens in municipal management: an exploratory study based on a content analysis of municipal websites in the province of Quebec

This article explores the usefulness of a recognition framework for the study of the relationship between municipal administrations and citizens. Within the organizational science literature, employee recognition has been shown to enhance their commitment to their organization. In a context where public authorities consistently seek to improve levels of civic engagement, could this conclusion be applied to the relationship between municipalities and their constituents? Following a review of the literature, we present the results of a content analysis of the websites of Quebec municipalities whose populations are greater than 20,000. Three modes of recognition are identified: personalized attention, value confirmation, and gratitude. Recognition practices are also found to vary between municipalities. Our study opens new pragmatic and theoretical horizons in the area of municipal management. Points for practitioners Managers know that showing recognition toward their employees is not only a sign of respect, but a means to mobilize employee commitment to their organization. This article explores the value of this finding for the field of municipal management and, specifically, to the study of the relationship between municipal managers and citizens. Should serving citizens not ultimately mean recognizing their individual identities, civic capacities, and contribution to their community’s vitality?

Towards inclusive schooling policies in Finland: a multiple-case study from policy to practice

New education laws that emphasize inclusive ideology were recently introduced to the Finnish educational system. In this study, I examine whether these laws provide more inclusive practices and assess whether the changes in the laws meet the views of the participants on education. Semi-structured interviews with parents, teachers and assistants of three children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (age: 6–8 years) were conducted around the period of transfer from kindergarten to schools in three municipalities. The official municipality websites were examined to find types of classrooms offered. The results showed that classrooms did not meet all expectations of the participants and were not satisfactorily inclusive. To enable structure and safety, the classrooms should be smaller (in the catchment area school) and should include pupils with and without special education support to learn from and support each other. The importance of one-to-one interaction with professional staff was also emphasized. In conclusion, the effect of the new laws could be seen through varying and to some extent unequal organizing of special educational support in the municipalities.

Linking card sorting to browsing performance – are congruent municipal websites more efficient to use?

ABSTRACTCard sorting is a method for eliciting mental models and is frequently used for creating efficient website navigation structures. The present studies set out to validate card sorting by linking browsing performance to the degree of match between the mental model and the navigation structure. First, a card sorting study was conducted (n = 27) to elicit users’ mental model of municipal websites. Second, performance was measured for a number of search tasks with varying degrees of congruence with users’ mental model (n = 50). Analysis by linear mixed-effect models suggests that the match between mental model and website structure has no effect on browsing performance. We discuss possible reasons and consequences of the failure to validate card sorting for designing navigation structures of informational websites.

Assessing and explaining local e-government maturity in the Iberoamerican community

This paper assesses local e-government maturity in the Iberoamerican community. Sixty Andorran, Argentinian, Brazilian, Chilean, Colombian, Costa Rican, Mexican, Portuguese, Spanish, and Uruguayan cities were considered in this study. A demographic criterion was adopted to define the municipalities observed within those countries and a three-dimensional model was used to evaluate each municipal website. Then, we conclude that local e-government still has a substantial room for improvement in the region and that population density is relevant to explain local e-government maturity, albeit only in its intrinsic Information and Participation dimensions.

Governance In Local Governments: A Comparative Analysis Over the Web-Sites Of Metropolitan Municipalities Of Marmara Region

Belediyeler, gunumuzde ulasim, egitim, kultur sanat, gida, saglik, sosyal hizmetler, cevre ile ilgili her turlu hizmetlerin yani sira basarilarini arttirmak icin her turlu medya aracinin yani sira web ortaminin ve akilli telefon aplikasyonlarinin tum mecralarindan yararlanma yolunda gayret gostermektedirler. Etkili yonetim ve yonetisimin ‘Şeffaflik/Katilimcilik/Hesap Verebilirlik’ kriterlerini de goz onunde bulundurarak secmenle, hizmet bolgesindeki vatandasla interaktif bicimde iletisime gecme ve feedback alabilme politikalarini hayata gecirmektedirler. Bilgi ve teknoloji caginda belediyeler yuzyuze iletisimin yani sira iletisim teknolojilerinin tum olanaklarindan faydalanmak zorundadirlar.

Digital Governance (in Romanian Municipalities). A Longitudinal Assessment of Municipal Web Sites in Romania

This article presents a comparative cross-country study in order to know the level of web services implementation at the municipality level (what are the public services that municipalities offer to their citizens using the electronic platforms). We’ve accessed each municipality web portal from Romania (103 in total) and using a defined scale; and rated every one very strictly. Most of the elements used in this research are taken from previous studies, adapted afterwards to take in relevant values for my country. Although there are numerous Romanian initiatives of connecting to the Internet even smaller communities, like small towns or even communes, we have chosen the municipalities due to the positive relation between the number of inhabitants and the capacity to e-Government of the local public administration. All of the 103 Romanian municipalities have been analysed and the results obtained will be presented on each class (there are 5 different classes – e-doc, transparency, etc.), but also by the final results.

Education–A Key Concept for E-Administration

The paper aims to investigate the link between the actual level of e-administration at the county level in Romania and the educational system at the same level (I refer here especially to the education in the field of IT&C) in order to verify if there is a connection between those data. I will start from a previous research in which I radiographed the Romanian e-administration (January 2014), based on the Mark Holzer study a1qbout Digital Governance in Municipalities Worldwide. I will correlate it with data collected from all the Romanian ECDL centers (European Computer Driving Licence) knowing the fact that ECDL is an engine for what is called “intelligent citizen” (Stoica 2009). For having an accurate image on this topic I will look onto every county in Romania (41 in number) analyzing the official Web sites of municipalities as well as those from ECDL centers. The results I count on are a strong connection between education (on the field of IT&C) and a good e-administration, suggesting by this some new investments in the field of education. It is understood that the existence of Web platforms very well maintained doesn’t imply that they’re also used by the citizens or the business society. The new methods of administration don’t need only innovative solutions but also “intelligent citizens”. The value of this paper is the comparison itself. There are a lot of studies in Romania about the education, about the local administration but rare those studies are connected. More and more researchers stated that “education should come first”, so I suggest that before investing in IT platforms and so on, to invest firstly in education. It is not only the personnel of public administration that need to benefit from IT&C education, but also those to whom these platforms address (the citizens).

What Affects the Information Provided on the Web? Case of Czech Rural Municipalities

Electronic information availability has become an innate part of public corporate governance on all levels of public administration. Given paper focuses on such availability made throughout a platform of municipal website. Firstly, the paper objective focuses on identification of current level of web information openness. Secondly, it aims on examination of factors affecting the level of openness. Primary data on the information openness were gathered through the website analysis of randomly selected municipalities (n = 400) with population up to 2,000 inhabitants. The findings showed that majority of municipalities operate functional website (97%). Worse situation was found in provision of information about local politicians (particularly their contact details) and the office (official mail, e-mail and telephone). The openness in economic transparency is satisfactory regards to publishing of municipal documents and its extent; however not as good situation is in openness of public procurement description. Research hypothesis examination confirmed that information openness is positively associated with municipal population, wealth of the municipality and lack of municipal debt; on the other hand the information openness is not influenced by belonging of the municipality to certain region neither personality of the mayor.