Information resource management in the public sector

iqarttiinepmfes-

interest is in information systems policy planning public aid the private sector.

gement I5 (I%%) 85-92 0378-7206/88/$3.50

for the

The idea that information should be regarded one of the principal tools of public a42ministrationappears trivial, after the same applies tn Md @Ubk Servants d money (o&e finanNevertheless the formula explicit policy on IRM in the public sector is still far fkom common practice. The development of ti0mWion res0Urce management is a step in this &e&on, but it requires further elaboration and above a& to be expressed in concrete tefms. private sector, too, the concept still has no meaning. Furthermore, the t of the public sector as the complement of interpreted in a completely different way in different countries. Not only the division of responsibilities between central, regovernment but also demarcation sector and the semi-public (more of ) social sectors vary widely. Finally, even the terms information technology and information systems, which are older and better established than IRM, are not always used in the same manner. This applies within a single language such as English, and even more so when translating ough we one language to another. An Popper’s adhere as far as possible to clearly is speaking in such a way t matter”, we consider it necessary first to eq&& E;erg bs& mnCept& beginning with the term information system. By informationsystem we mea& &tidy speaking, every ensemble of hardware and a~sociated software, with all people plus the procedures which they work, in conjunction witk view, every information SyScomponents. e fke syste optionally speaking, information system involve

0 1988, i3sevkr Sciemc P&!&hers B.V. (North-Holland)

Information & Management

ewxything

required for understanding, and in most

influencing (controlling), part of reality ia real system). The distinction between analytical and functional views is necessary because each of the analytical components can be used for more than one functional system or subsystem in more than one onal unit; e.g., a database on used for both taxation physical pla&g. Our view system therefore differs from worlc!. where it is ture of the Englisher the database and generally understood the necessary software, such as data management systems, or the combined systems bY an rise or organisational unit (e.g., a business ). te&nolog)l(,we know-how and aids used for cf information. By infer-

-S

used for the creation, mainteafinformation systems (e.g., develtenance methods and tech-

niques).

one or more of information systems, includinng their managemat ad supervision. The key problem in the

together with the representative bodies and the apparatus which directly supports them. The largest part of the public sector, about 90 terms of staff, investments, and expenditure, consists of services, companies, and other organisations that provide products and services these are and which level of government p

Furthermore, in semi-public sector, extent by the government or ment regulations_Examples the health setvice, educa

the maintenance of t&e (such zs the road and wat

Information % Management

B. K. Bmssaard / IRM in the Public Sector

present there seems to be little reason to distinguish these terms from what may be called “information systems and services”. The addition of the word “resource” appears to have no other function than to draw attention to the fact that

tion-processing activities, and in the management and policy-making regarding these primary processes, as is the case i13 every organisation, whether in the public or private sector. To sum up, the public secttw is taken to cover everything which is to be connected, in a

IT-Research

and Education

Public General Press Other Media Action Croups Local Qrganisations

and

SeEViCeS

Civil

Service

\

/

Interest

groups

layers Trade Unions IT industry IT professionals

etc.

Products and Services provided

by the public

Individual

Private

Citizens

Organisations (profit-making and non-profitmaking)

ig. 1. Factws skiing

IT applications in the public

s2c;i~r.

87

88

In/irnnation & Management

Research

starting point is the available information technology and methodology used to produce politically desirable products and services as efficiently as possible. The available technology and m&odology is influenced, in turn, by the products and services offered by the IT industry. This includes not only hardware and system software but also after-sales service and advice. On the other hand, research and training institutes, fmanced largely by the government provide the initial know-how and expertise of IT specialists (which is often followed by on-the-job learning until *&e person becomes an “expert”). The application of information technology in the public sector is influenced by at least four groups: - the w&d o~politics, in the form of representative bodies (Ikliament, municipal councils), the governing bodies in the narrow sense (the Cabinet and municipal executive) and the @itical parties, etc. General social developments, such as prevailing views on deregulation, privatisation, and the role of the government in society as a whole, are reflected in this world and influence Se way in which IP is tral and local government; ‘c, whose opinion is considered in the general press and other d in the activities of political

What matters ultimately is the performance of the public sector; i.e., the efficiency and effectiveness of the products and services produced. These are ultimately destined for individuals and private organisations (both profit-making business and non-profit-making enterprises). For most indivi ual information systems in the public sector- it IS relatively simple to ascertain precisely which of the aforementioned groups have had an influence. aimed at finding a general and then using it to develop on policy are, however, extremely scarce_Most studies have gone no further tban to examine one particular aspect, *uch as data protection, and even then usually in a normative sense rather than an empirical sense; more frequently they have concentrated on the extent to which computers are used in government s&km4 for instance in small or large m ties. This provides no insight into the extent to which the efficiency and qality of public services have actually been enhd by t&z use of cornputers, and the reasons for this. l

in To make the very extensive fi public sector more easier to discuss, a c

quality of public services a k&rzU Rrotlps such as employers’ trade unions, astry, professio eif- influence is sometimes direct, such as in advisq and consultati sometimes indirect, such as via politics and public opinion; - pzfbk sebvmts, who are the first to be directly the use of information includes the users of tural

objects (in museums, lib ent activities extend to the

Information & Management

(Objects

(Administrative

of

Administration) _____________________ - population - vehicles,

B.K. Brussaa. 2 / IRM in the Public Sector

89

operations)

____________________--~------

Adminis? rstion) _-~_--~---u--~----

- contracts sF.ipping

- businesses - buildings - fiuaace - documents

in each sectcD)t, distribution

for each public or scni-public: organisation,

orderiykgal n, they are generally

not specific to individual within an area of concern.

organisational

units

ac3zessible to everyone. which dea&it&s th beforeand budgeting) and afterwards rendering acXmun;J.TheSe Srjmems to each area of govemfit consome countries extend beyond the gwemmental sphe!re (e.g., in the fields of health and education). The most extensive systems of this type are those mncerned with income transfers , benefits, and subsidies). iRfOrXlWi

Type C comprises information systems for managing 152 resources throu which the government nnel infomiasystems, and information systems for the management of materials, equipment, and governmental and other documents. Type C also includes those informasystems used for the management of the

functionally specific to one area of concern and is

This classification is important because the administrative organisation is different for Pzh cateand is directly related to the structure of the c sector. As far as this structure is concerned, it is, by definition, ~tia.! to distinguish ‘between the degree of centralisation and the degree of concentration, and this should be done separately for system management and information management. The degree of centrahsation (ranging from Ml centrahsation to maximum possible decentrahsation) is the extent to which decision-making posers in the field of both activities are allocated to a smaller or larger number of points. The degree of concentration (ranging from maximum concentration to maximum deconcentration) refers to the number of geographical locations where the operational activities tie place (see figure 3). Studies have shown that all the fovur configurathe s A to D occur in practice and can the articular situations. configurations for a particukir information system or type of information system can differ for sys-

90

information 4%Management

Research

Centralisation

Decentralisation

Concentration

___

Deconcentration

Fig. 3. Admhistrative

ten3

mancgement

and gographical distribution of system mmagment

and

for

ilaxmati

ment; they can therefore be chosen in of one anuther. In practice and in the literature, there is generally a great deal of confusion as to what is meant by tern such as decentralised, distribute2 or dispersed information systems. This can be illustrated with an example. In the Netherlands, system management, i.e., the decision-making pIlwer with respect to the organisation of the population register, is regulated by statute at central level down to the smallest detail. The execution of system mazlagement (the construction and maintenance of information systems), however, can be deconcznwated, and even entrusted to privat (con&uration C). On other hand, management, i.e., the of the population information system, is significantly de central&d to municipalities and is also carried out exclusively by those muni own hardware, i.e. deconcentra D). Similar striking differeraces, opposite results, between syste information management on ce~tdbtion and concentration on the other, can be found in other fields, e.g., wi

and information management.

structuring in terms of

of kf’nrrsration

resource management the concepts summarised in figure 3.

5.

A key question is: What d

cal and econotic of flux (improving price/performance

of time or ken

ministration. 0

rati

Information 4%Management

B.K Brussmrd / IRM in the Public Sector

autonomous self-governing public and semi-p&k organisaticns (e.g., Kraemer, 1987). Interesting explanations have been devised to account for this Gfference, but an important factor is undoubtedly the far higher population density and the very highly developed political and social infrastructure that is partIy the result of this. In any case, the organisation of II&I in the public sector has been laid down to a far greater extent and in far greater detaiI in some Western European coun’&s (e.g. Jansen, 1987). e administrative and organisational problems of information ment in the pubic set subject of discussion at

91

lands, and West Germany there is a fa greater degree of agreement and cooperation between m!micipalities in &.e field of I than in Ergl.ish-speaking countries. (d) The main technical conditions for a ing of the public sector are the est of telecommunication nctwo government bodies 2~d the in-reduction of application systems built accorJing to standard (central system management) roblem is fiicing, since the advantages to be gained are often enjoyed by a different body than those currently responsible for inf~rrmationmanagement ( decentraked and &concentrated). The nefits for society as a whole, however, are

Act of 1980 in the United States and sprehe’s Overview, 1987).

n technology in the public sector are

ental agmcies have

t possible to improve quality and ency, provided the organisational structure is switched from “type of product” to “Client gro , similar developments in and insurance sector and the private ercial services in general). switch leads to a redivision of responsi(c) es, not only within public services but under the ~CXIpublic at different levels of government. er and in what manner this restructuring takes place depends (to a large extent) on

This is not intended to present a normative framework for the organisation of IRM in the public sector. The theoretical insight neessary for such a purpose is still lacking and no wepresentative empirid test has been devise& It is however possible to give certain indications, partly by analogy with similar developments in some parts of the private sector. Just as information technologyy in the private sector has thrown relations between sectors of industry, the various chains of production and the individual companies within ‘both into a state of flux, so the spread of information technology in the public sector will generate forces which will lead tc structural changes. in the public sector such changes will not come about through competition but through political pressure. In both cases, however, it is external forces which are the deci. died factor. The administrative management of a c service or the political management of an autonomous public body is not going to advocate structural changes which reduce its own authority and responsibilities. The ultimate initiative will have to come from the appropriate level of ment and, in contrast to the private sector, enforced by pressure from independent research and pu.blic opinion.

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Research

[I) BossH-9 Bnrssaard, B.K., Intergovernmental Relatixz

? lcnfornation Systems and services in the Netherlands, URISA Conference Proceedings, Ottawa, August 1985. [2] Brussaard, B-K., Electronic Information Management for Administrative G~GZXUII~I&InferdixipIinary Science Re= uiew. Vol. 8, No. 1, Wiley Heijden Ltd., London, 1983. (31 Bmsaard, B.K.. Planning of Informational infrastructures for Intergovemmen tal Use, Pmceedings of IFIP-TC8 confewnce on GovemnwntaI and Municipal IRfomwkwz Systpmr, Budapest, September 8-11.1987. [S] knsex~, A., Pdiciesfor EDP in Public Administration in Nmay, Proceedings of IFIP-TC8 CcwJference 011Gwun-

mental and Municipal Information Systeerp, Budapest, September 8-l&1987. (5) ICraexwr, K.L., Why Technolo~-driven Administrative Reforms are not Likely to Happen. Proceedings of 55rh Staatswtienschaftliche Fortbildungstagung, Spyer, March lo-13,1987. [6] Reinermann, H., Vor einer Venvaltungsreform (Informationstecimkch motivierte Ziele und Systeemconzepte), Proceedings of 55th Staatswissenschafikhe Fort& gung, Speyer, Mu&i i&13,1987. (7J Sprehe, J.T., Developing Federal Informzuion Manqement Policy, Infwion MIuurgemeRrReoiew. Vol. 2, No. 3, Winter 1987.