Collaborative data networks for public service: governance, management, and performance

ABSTRACT

This study aims to advance the theory and practice of managing collaborative data networks for information and decision-support services that exist in over 400 US metropolitan areas. Integrating insights from collaborative governance, network management, and cross-boundary information sharing, this study develops a framework to outline the interplay between context, management, collaborative dynamics, technology, and performance. This study further utilizes the framework to conduct an exploratory in-depth case study of a metropolitan transportation data network to examine such interplay. The findings suggest ways to improve the performance of collaborative data networks and their implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital government
• cross-boundary information sharing
• collaborative governance
• network management

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, University of Nebraska at Omaha under the College’s Urban Research Grant. We thank the staff at the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency and other people in the collaborative data network for their time and assistance. An earlier version of the paper was presented at the 2015 American Society for Public Administration conference in Seattle, WA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. For the complete list of governmental units in the Council of Officials, visit http://www.mapacog.org/boards-a-committees.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, University of Nebraska at Omaha under the College’s Urban Research Grant.

Notes on contributors

Yu-Che Chen

Yu-Che Chen, Ph.D. & MPA, is an associate professor of digital governance and Director of the Global Digital Governance Lab in the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His research and teaching interests are digital governance, e-government, cross-boundary collaboration, smart city, open data, and big data.

Jooho Lee

Jooho Lee is an associate professor at the School of Public Administration and an associate director of the Global Digital Governance Lab at University of Nebraska, Omaha. He has been doing research on the antecedents and consequences of information technology adoption by government and citizens, interorganizational/interpersonal networks, citizen participation, transparency, and trust in government.