Can IT help government to restore public trust? Declining public trust and potential prospects of IT in the public sector

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

46 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

During the past four decades, public trust in governments has continued to diminish due to various administrative, political, socio-cultural, economic, and mass media causes. Focusing on the administrative dimension, this study explores selected administrative factors to the declining of public trust, including public perception of administrative corruption (lack of transparency), inefficiency (wastefulness), ineffectiveness, and policy alienation. We argue that information technology (IT) can offer potentially useful tools to governments and help them to restore public trust by enhancing transparency, cost efficiency, effectiveness, and policy participation. This argument is illustrated by four selected mini cases (OPEN system in Seoul, eVA in Virginia, eFiling for IRS tax returns, and online policy forums in Seoul and Pennsylvania). Despite a generalizability problem, this study offers a cautious but positive view on the potential contribution of IT in restoring pubic trust.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2003
EditorsRalph H. Sprague
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages8
Number of pages1
ISBN (Electronic)0769518745, 9780769518749
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003
Event36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2003 - Big Island, United States
Duration: 2003 Jan 62003 Jan 9

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2003

Other

Other36th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2003
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBig Island
Period03/1/603/1/9

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2003 IEEE.

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Information Systems
  • Computer Science Applications

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