Mid Sweden University

Government use of digital technology is often accompanied by high hopes of generating beneficial outcomes. Previous research has identified several instances where such initiatives have failed to meet expectations. Despite this, optimistic narratives about the potential of digital technology in government persist across policy, media, and academic discourses. Against this backdrop, this paper critically examines narratives regarding the benefits of using digital technology in the public sector. It analyzes Swedish government policy documents and evaluations published between 1961 and 2023. The study highlights recurring patterns over time and identifies three “eras” of digital government: automatic data processing, information technology, and digitalization. The findings reveal optimism in visionary policy documents that draw on contemporary and emergent technological discourses. However, evaluations of these policies present limited evidence of their enactment, leading to disillusionment about transformational outcomes. These findings situate current narratives about digital technology within a broader historical context and open pathways toward more reflective digital government policymaking.

De senaste åren har kommuner och myndigheter ökat andelen automatiskt fattade beslut. Det har gjorts möjligt via automatiseringstekniker som till exempel robotic process automation (RPA) och ”digitala medarbetare”. Tidigare forskning har främst fokuserat på organisatoriska aspekter och hur de som arbetar inom offentliga verksamheter ser på automatisering. Färre studier har undersökt medborgarnas perspektiv i förhållande till olika domäner av automatiserat beslutsfattande. I detta kapitel presenterar vi resultat från frågor om attityder till automatiserat beslutsfattande i offentlig sektor i den nationella SOM-undersökningen. Frågorna har utformats från fem dimensioner relaterade till kvalitet i samhällsstyrning: tillförlitlighet, opartiskhet, hänsyn till människors situation, transparens och (mer)arbete för individen. Vi fokuserar på tre domäner: inkomstdeklaration, ansökan om medborgarskap, och ekonomiskt bistånd. Likt tidigare år visar resultaten att befolkningen har låg medvetenhet om att offentliga organisationer tar automatiska beslut. Resultaten belyser även variationer i attityder både i förhållande till de tre domänerna, och beroende på respondenternas ideologiska orientering. Kapitlet avslutar med förslag på fortsatt forskning för att ytterligare förstå dessa variationer.

This paper explores citizens’ attitudes toward automatic decision-making in relation to Quality of Government (QoG) dimensions, such as impartiality and transparency. The research builds on material froman annual national survey in Sweden. The questions revolve around three domains of public decision-making (tax declaration, citizenship applications, and income support). Findings from the survey are presented via descriptive statistics. The results reveal that many citizens are unaware that government organizations are making automated decisions. There are clear differences in attitudes relating to the three domains. Citizens are generally more positive towards using automation in decisions regarding tax declaration compared to income support and citizenship applications. Through this analysis we contribute with new empirical findings regarding citizens’ attitudes to automatic decision-making, its impact on quality of government and pave the way for additional explorations in this area. We identify a need to further analyze how these attitudes are shaped by socio-economic factors such as age, education, employment status, income, and digital competence on the one hand but also other values such as trust toward government, and political polarization. 

In this position paper we propose what we here call a CodeNoCode (CNC) approach to the creation and evaluation of predictive models. NoCode tools are increasingly becoming more powerful, but there is a lack of understanding about the practical/industry adoption of predictive modeling NoCode tools such as KNIME or Orange. To speed-up adoption-in particular for non-technical users- we find this a good time to investigate the LLM-supported co-development of code and GUI (NoCode) for Machine Learning (ML) tasks. ML code follows a rather sequential structure which limits the complexity of the automatic creation of modeling code and as a consequence also the representations and integrations of the modeling process and analysis within a graphical interface. CNC avoids intermediate model formats (transparency), and, in support of LLMs, can be made programming language agnostic while opening up for collaboration between coders and non-coders, in support of LLM assistants (inclusivity). 

Syftet med den här rapporten är att sammanställa forskning om digitaliseringens effekter i offentlig sektor, med fokus på nyttor, kostnader och mätbarhet. Rapporten har tagits fram inom ramen för det nationella forskningsprogrammet om digitaliseringens samhällskonsekvenser. 

Digital teknik har funnits länge, men de senaste årtiondena fått bredare genomslag och karaktäriserar alltmer sättet vi gör saker på i vårt dagliga liv, och även hur offentliga organisationer interagerar med medborgare. Det är därför relevant att sammanställa kunskap om de effekter som digitaliseringen förväntas leda till. 

Rapporten bygger på en litteraturöversikt med tematisk analys av 55 artiklar om digital förvaltning. 

Fyra teman identifieras i studien: kostnadseffektivitet, serviceanvändning, digital mognad, och relationella perspektiv. I rapporten diskuteras dessa teman i förhållande till referenslitteratur. 

Resultaten visar att nyttor, kostnader och mätbarhet adresseras baserat på kontextuell uppmärksamhet, och kunskapsteoretisk positionering. Detta skapar i sin tur spänningar mellan a) linjära kontra komplexa mått och angreppssätt, b) fokus på kortsiktiga respektive långsiktiga effekter, samt c) mätning av enskilda system kontra mer övergripande analyser. 

En övergripande observation är att det finns utrymme för nya eller uppdaterade teorier och djärvare hypoteser inom fältet digital förvaltning. Rapporten avslutas med tre uppslag för fortsatt forskning med syfte att skapa starkare band mellan forskning, policy och praktik.

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) systems, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, enable the automatic creation of content that closely resembles human-produced work, allowing for both constructive and potentially harmful applications. This study investigates the impact of GAI on digital resilience in society, focusing on the opportunities and challenges these technologies present. Digital resilience is defined as the capacity to maintain societal functions despite disruptions to or by digital systems. This study draws on a systematic literature review of 164 research articles, with findings categorized into three key perspectives: technology, organization, and governance. Within each perspective, themes for further research are identified. The results highlight the importance of recognizing GAI’s dual nature to both support and threaten digital resilience. To promote secure digitalization, our study calls for more empirical research on the risks associated with GAI applications, transparent artificial intelligence usage, and the establishment of ethical guidelines. The study also advocates for increased interdisciplinary research to ensure that new technologies and resilience can coexist as foundational elements of a resilient, democratic society.

Technological developments have enabled private and public actors to access near-Earth space. Space systems are both critical infrastructure and important sub-systems of other critical infrastructures (e.g., GPS and weather forecasting) dependent on space technology. However, unlike other critical infrastructures, space systems are relatively unexplored from a security perspective. The paper presents a system model based on a synthesis of the current research front discussed in national and international research literature, reports, and studies. The soft systems methodology is used to develop the model useful for actors concerned with risk management to increase the understanding of systemic dependencies of space systems and strengthen the resilience in critical infrastructures and services. This paper provides insights into digital risks for space systems, highlighting serious societal consequences and areas for enhanced space security. Based on the system model and the analysis provided for a better understanding of the relationships among these systems, future research needs to strengthen cybersecurity in space systems as exemplified.

Emerging technologies are often accompanied by optimistic “tech narratives” that emphasize their potential benefits to society. These narratives appear in various sources, including public policy documents, media coverage, and academic literature. However, identifying their origins and underlying rationale can be challenging. This paper addresses the research question (RQ): How can government tech narratives be traced and unveiled? To answer this question, we draw on the theoretical frameworks of “performativity” and “uncertainty assessment” to develop a two-step approach for investigating tech narratives. We apply this methodology to trace a narrative promoting the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Swedish public sector back to its source, an emerging government AI policy program. Our analysis reveals a hybridization of economic and political interests, as well as a recognized ignorance reflected in the lack of scrutiny of highly uncertain calculations. By presenting this two-step methodology for tracing and critically examining tech narratives, this paper makes a methodological contribution. In applying this approach, we also provide empirical insights into how tech narratives facilitate the materialization of technological infrastructures.

Public sector organizations rely on private sector suppliers to deliver digital welfare services. Since private suppliers play key roles in providing and implementing digital technologies for governments, it is important to develop an understanding of their capabilities. However, research devoted to understanding information and communication technology (ICT) supplier capabilities in this context remains sparse. Therefore, this study aims to build a theoretical framework for understanding these capabilities and answer the research question (RQ): What constitutes ICT supplier capabilities? The research is based on a scoping literature review. Through this review, our study integrates research on outsourcing, digitalization, and digital transformation into a compound framework based on a capability view. This framework is a step towards an integrated approach to studying supplier capabilities in the context of digital government.