The evolution, dynamics and assessment of the globally top ranked urban e-governance system: a case study of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's e-Seoul
Date
2015
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based Internet linkages exist between governments and citizens both in formal institutional structures and in more informal systems based on social media. In formal terms, e-governance, have expanded across the world in a variety of forms and has emerged as an important medium for government and administrative reform. It has developed dramatically in the early 21st century by providing real time information and services and with dimensions aimed at enhancing citizen participation (OECD 2008; Kim 2004; West 2001). This research focuses on a formal e-governance system, e-Seoul, that was established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in Korea. E-Seoul has been evaluated as the world’s top urban e-governance system by the international organizations that have done such rankings. These ratings have been based on assessments of information provision, service quality, webpage contents, system security, and participation quality in general. E-Seoul has been judged to be at the top in almost all of them. However, there is limited research on evolution of formal e-governance systems in major urban areas and how they fit into the existing political and power structures of such places, in general, and, in particular, in relation to e-Seoul. In consequence, this study undertakes a case study of e–Seoul in terms of its evolution and operational dynamics from the late 1990s to 2012, a time span for which the most systematic data are accessible and to 2014 when data are available. The study initially looks at the specific organizational features of e-Seoul, its responses to changes in ICT, characterizes the phases of its development and discusses its fit into the existing political environment and power structure. Data is then presented and analyzed concerning major dimensions of e-Seoul’s information and services provided to citizens, their use patterns and a limited amount of survey data on citizen evaluation. Next, particular attention is paid to several features of e-Seoul intended to gain citizen views on issues and facilitate communication with the mayor on problem matters and to the one dimension, the “Imagination Board,” that is intended to directly involve citizens participation in policy making. In the final section of the study, conclusions are presented and further research proposed. E-Seoul’s information and services are substantial, have grown more extensive and changed with ICT innovations and appear to fit the international ranking of these dimensions. In contrast, however, citizen influence and participation through e-Seoul is very limited and designed and administered in ways that reflect rather than change the existing power structure and political environment. Further, the mayors of the SMG, major political figures in Korea, have played a significant role in the design and evolution of e-Seoul to foster the role of the chief executive in directly communicating with citizens and responding to their requests and complaints. These findings raise questions about e-Seoul’s internationally high ranking in citizen participation as does the fact that a relatively small percentage of the total population of the area actually uses e-Seoul at all. The findings of the case study suggest several directions for future research concerning formal institutional systems of e-governance. One is generating more empirical data on citizen use of various dimensions of e-Seoul and more survey data about their assessments of them. Of particular interest would be a comparison of citizen use of social media to exercise political influence in SMG policies along with more attention to the role of existing power holders to the development and political dynamics of e-governance. In turn, research on these questions in other major urban areas and their comparison would be obvious further steps.