Mid Sweden University

Extant research demonstrates that e-Government initiatives often fall short of achieving innovative forms of government and governance due to a techno-centric focus that limits such initiatives to minor improvements in service delivery. While it is evident that innovation is central to modernising and transforming governmental organisations, and that the co-creation of services by public authorities and community groups is an essential component of realising the benefits of investment in information and communication technology, there is little research focusing on the nature of innovation in transforming governmental organisations and services. Addressing this gap in the literature, this paper explores how open innovation strategies can transform public administration by examining how a network of municipalities in Sweden transforms value creation and service delivery by collaborating with each other and with external parties to accelerate the creation and exploitation of innovation. Using a case study with embedded units of analysis, four emerging typologies of governmental transformation based on open innovation are identified. The paper illustrates how these open innovation typologies (i) transform the organisation of the municipalities and (ii) help them deliver high quality co-created services to citizens. By examining the strategic and operational aspects that facilitate such activities, the analysis reveals the impact of open innovation on the business models of public authorities. The paper concludes that open innovation practices represent a more radical manifestation of transformational government than previously envisaged; signalling not only fundamental change in the nature of value creation and service delivery by public authorities, but potentially in the nature of their organisation. © 2011 Operational Research Society Ltd. All rights reserved.

In this position statement we provide our understanding of the relation between the IS field and the notion of sustainability, and present our focus through a characterization of the “sustainability research” construct. By doing so, we hope to contribute to the discourse on a clarification of the construct itself in our research community.

This position paper introduces the project ISSI – Citizen Centric Public

Service in Sparsely Populated Areas. In the project we are applying the citizen value

model, to improve interaction between citizens and municipal authorities as well as

within and between municipal authorities, aiming at a major improvement of the

level of service for citizens and SMEs in the sparsely populated northern municipality

of Örnsköldsvik. The project applies an adaptable and scalable comprehensive

e-service model focusing on multi-functionality and cross-sector services – a new

up- and running modular infrastructure for e-services The model is based on social

media, an on-line community InneLandet, www.innelandet.se, driven by a privatepublic

partnership, that will successively take over the project. Core concerns are individual

and organizational participation, e-service literacy, citizen - authority dialogue,

activity and flexibility – a new tool for implementing co-design as the next

step in e-democracy. A special concern now is to increase the number of users in a

higher pace

This research-in-progress paper explores ways in which inter-organisational networks can fulfil both collective (network) and self-interest (member) goals by implementing architectures of participation that govern and support participant interaction. We draw on recent studies to derive a conceptual framework consisting of technological, legal, economic and social mechanisms in inter-organisational networks, and using initial findings from three case studies of networks in Sweden and Denmark, we illustrate how these architectures operate. Our analysis shows the relative importance of these mechanisms in facilitating individual and collective value creation and we conclude by presenting our ongoing research plans.

This research-in-progress paper explores ways in which inter-organisational networks can fulfil bothcollective (network) and self-interest (member) goals by implementing architectures of participation that govern and support participant interaction. We draw on recent studies to derive a conceptual framework consisting of technological, legal, economic and social mechanisms in inter-organisational networks, and using initial findings from three case studies of networks in Sweden and Denmark, we illustrate how these architectures operate. Our analysis shows the relative importance of these mechanisms in facilitating individual and collective value creation and we conclude by presenting our ongoing research plans.

This work-in-progress paper presents an exploration of a network of Swedish municipal authorities. Within this network, we have observed a move from isolated innovation to leveraging inflows and outflows of knowledge in a manner characteristic of the open innovation paradigm. This paper presents a characterization of these knowledge exchanges using an existing framework of open innovation archetypes, as well as an initial description of the business model impacts of this innovation approach on the participant municipalities, and the enabling role of information technology. The paper concludes by drawing preliminary conclusions and outlining ongoing research.

Abstract: This paper present the e-service - Parent - Teacher Meeting, developed in the on-going project "Everyday Communication Home and School", ECHOES. The Echoes project is a "triple helix" project with Åkroken Science Park, the Municipality of Sundsvall, CITIZYS Research Group at Mid Sweden University and an IT-consultant company as members in the consortium. The aim is to develop a web based communication and information channel to enhance the contacts between the schools, the teachers and the parents. The development process has been "citizen driven" with an active involvement of the potential users. The first version has now been in use for one year, and a recently carried out evaluation indicates a success. E.g. state 87 % of the respondents that it is easier to get information from the school, thanks to the e-service.

The concept of what Yochai Benkler called “peer production” as an alternative mechanism to traditional hierarchies and markets has captured the imagination of numerous communities in contexts ranging from t-shirt design to software to gold mining. While some question the suitability and potential longevity of this mode of production, others are focused on determining ways in which peer-produced products and services can be suitably packaged to meet the requirements of consumers. In particular, the mature peer production phenomenon known as open source software has emerged as a credible alternative to its proprietary counterpart and presents a compelling challenge to both industry and academia as we seek to understand how firms and other organizations can build sustainable business models leveraging the public commons of open source products and the collaborative engine that created them.

While the concept of open innovation has attracted significant industry and research interest in the past five years, there remains a paucity of research on the application of the concept in non-commercial settings. This paper presents an exploration of a network of Swedish municipal authorities. Within this network, we have observed a move from isolated innovation to the purposive leveraging of knowledge inflows and outflows in a manner characteristic of the open innovation paradigm. This paper presents a characterization of these knowledge exchanges using an existing framework of open innovation archetypes, as well as a description of the business model impacts of these innovation approaches for the participant municipalities. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for future research.

This paper presents a model to assist in the ability to judge access by private persons to the Internet in general, and to Public Information Systems, PIS, particularly. It has its starting point in the Swedish Government�s endeavour to turn Sweden into the first �information society for all�. When the available statistics concerning the access to a PC and the Internet in Swedish homes are studied it is easy to think that this vision may soon be realised. Of course, access to the technical equipment is a fundamental condition in order to be able to use the Public Information Systems, but unfortunately, is not the only one. Several studies have shown that it is not possible to equate possession and use. A number of access models or frameworks designed to judge whether or not a person has access to the ICTs do exist. However, it is my opinion that there is a deficiency in these models; they do not start out from the individual user�s prerequisites, but rather judge the external conditions available for possible access. Assisted by four empirical studies, interviews and questionnaires, a number of access barriers experienced by the users have been identified. The studies show that in addition to the technological hindrances, a series of more elusive ones also exist originating from prevailing norms and values in the environment the user lives in. The barriers are categorised into five groups; to have, to be able, to will, to may and to dare. Together these notions form the User Centred Access Model, UCAM, which is suggested for use in charting and communicating the necessary considerations that must be taken into account in the development of Public Information Systems aimed for e-governmental issues.