Networks for citizen consultation and citizen sourcing of expertise

Abstract

This study aims to explore how public websites facilitate the creation of networks for citizen consultation. Evidence-based analysis is applied to European public-sector websites to determine the degree to which they adopt digital mechanisms and strategies to facilitate citizen participation and collaboration. This study analyses outstanding European public-sector websites as categorised by the European Commission at the 4th European eGovernment Awards (EeGA) 2009. These finalists, which were selected by independent judges, are taken as a representative sample of the range of eGovernment projects in Europe. Although other eGovernment projects with exemplary features certainly exist, the unbiased nature of this list, which consists of 52 finalists from 31 countries, provides an objective criterion for inclusion, thus making our sample analytically stronger than an opportunistic sample. The selected websites are analysed and classified based on the taxonomy of citizen participation elaborated by Dutton, who defines three levels of digital citizen engagement: (1) sharing, (2) contributing, and (3) co-creating knowledge. These constitute a matrix describing different levels of maturity in an e-democracy. The results of the analysis and the application of this methodology provide an overview of the strategies and policies adopted by European governments to promote and support e-democracy. Interestingly, the results also show that the vast majority of European Union (EU) public websites adopt strategies to promote only the earliest stages of digital citizen engagement, primarily at level 1. This study also reveals how the public sector utilises various tools, social networks and digital resources to create virtual networks of citizen consultation and citizen sourcing of expertise. A valuable result of this study is the taxonomy of digital citizen engagement and its operationalisation, which may be useful for future research. Finally, this work identifies practices, strategies and mechanisms for fostering e-democracy in the EU.

Acknowledgements

This study was supported through the Knetworks project (Knowledge Dissemination Network for the Atlantic Area) and in collaboration with the Socio-Economic Services for European Research Project (SESERV).

Notes

Although there are other largely synonymous terms for such services (such as Web 2.0, participatory media and social networking platforms), for consistency, this document will use the terms ‘social-media tools’ to describe the technologies and applications that facilitate participatory information-sharing, interoperability, user-centred design and collaboration on the World Wide Web (Wikipedia, 2010).

Regarding ‘digital literacy’, Buckingham (2007, p. 53) asserts, ‘The increasing convergence of contemporary media means that we need to be addressing the skills and competencies–the multiple literacies–that are required by the whole range of contemporary forms of communication’.

These platforms have been qualified as the best practices in the EU and are able to provide innovative electronic solutions that facilitate citizen access to public services, reduce administrative burdens and increase the efficiency of public administrations.

A list of websites is available via the following link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmBXUpZP05UodG5vUWlTU1dLVVNxREdFcGxLT2VTU1E&hl=es#gid=0