Abstract
Public service provision is increasingly exposed to digital discretion which is the use of computerized routines and analyses to influence or replace the discretionary practices of public service workers. In this study, we interview parliamentary members and analyze e-government strategy documents to identify under which conditions policy makers accept digital discretion in public service provision. Policy makers define the boundaries for how efficiently public service workers can use technology. Our findings suggest that acceptance can be explained by five factors: (1) information quality, (2) whether clients are entitled to public services, (3) the extent to which the legislation is prepared for digitization, (4) if digital discretion provides opportunities for reorganizing the public sector, and (5) whether discretionary practices are sought harmonized because of political priorities. Our work further contributes by suggesting propositions and a model conceptualizing how these factors are interrelated to the acceptance of digital discretion.
Recommended Citation
Busch, Peter André, "Conceptualizing Digital Discretion Acceptance in Public Service Provision: A Policy Maker Perspective" (2018). PACIS 2018 Proceedings. 39.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2018/39