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E-governance and Citizen Information 42 Theoretical Framework. The Network Administrationprocess, eliminating bureaucratic mediators, linking sources of information, changing the organisationalstructure and services.Nevertheless, the conception of citizens as customers has posed many problems sincethe public sector readily assimilates the private sector's forms of action. This poses aseries of problems, not only in the ordinary running of the Administration, but also in itsgoverning principles.Firstly, in the scope of the relationships between the Administration and the citizen, a paradoxhas been detected in recent decades. Even though there is an interest in the relationshipwith citizens and the increase in the general volume of competencies of theAdministration (Prats, 2005; Cerrillo, 2005; Jordana et al., 2003), in practice, the private sectoris increasing its contact with citizens. This is partly due to the generalised outsourcingprocess of public services in many administrations during the 1990s, including all associatedconsequences. Among other elements, through outsourcing processes, the public servicesoffered to citizen are mediated by the private sector.In parallel, there is an underlying problem of legitimacy in public services. The term “customer”implies a relationship with a monetary transaction and this can affect the nature of the relationshipsin the provision of services. Based on the idea that some citizens are customers of theadministration, some countries have adopted the “user fees” concept for determined publicservices. However, the relations between administrations and citizens are different to those inthe private sector. Firstly, because customers have different options in the market, and this isnot the case with government services. Likewise, while customers pay for their services, citizenshave a deeper relationship and responsibility with the government than that which simplyinvolves the payment of a service. In the private sector, differential treatment – for length ofservice to the customer or wealth of the customer – is valid, while this is not ethically right inthe case of governments (Dunleavy and Margetts, 2000; Fountain, 2005).Thirdly, as regards the internal running, the similitude between the public and private sectorsis taking place since the public sector is adapting its objectives, roles and even concepts ofthe private sector. It is not merely adapting the use of the “customer” concept that is so commonlyused, but rather transforming its everyday operations to prioritise objectives, such asproductivity, imposing a type of Administration based on management (Prats, 2005; Castellsand Ollé, 2003; Haque, 1999).In short, in public management focused on the customer, citizens find their dimensions as amember of the political community restricted and, therefore, can enjoy a series of rights, asexplained below.http://www.uoc.edu/in3/pic
E-governance and Citizen Information 43 Theoretical Framework. The Network Administrationb) The Citizen as an Individual with Political RightsWe started this chapter talking about citizens' globally negative perception of the internalrunning of public bureaucracy. There are two closely linked main elements in this perception:transparency in the running of the public sector and citizens' participation in political decisionmaking processes. Again, literature on the subject and political initiatives haveportrayed ICTs as an opportunity for improvement and strengthening of the democraticprocesses. But, to what extent have ICTs represented a true change in this direction?– AccountabilityOne of the main differences between the public and private sectors lies in the fact that theformer is subject to accountability processes, a concept that is largely used to describe howorganisations show how they achieve their goals (Benveniste, 1984). In other words, accountabilityprocesses and transparency in the decisions made by the administration. 8 Thepublic sector is “responsible” for collective groups and individuals, while the market is at theforefront for the private company (Stewart and Ranson, 1994).Accountability is particularly relevant in theoretical e-governance proposals, so that manyinitiatives see a change in the form and functions attributed to them. A common feature thathad previously only been present in the public sector is viewed as a tool for improving theprovision of goods and services, making transaction costs more transparent and thus contributeto more efficient actions (Soete and Weehuizen, 2003).– Citizen ParticipationMarshall relates three aspects of the citizenship concept: civil rights (freedom of ideas,right to private property, etc.); social rights (right to economic welfare) and political rights(right to participate in the exercise of power) (Flynn, 1997). 9 Direct adoption of the postulatesof the NPM neglects the democratizing capacity that e-governance can have. In addition,this element arrives in parallel to an important reduction in the social services of theWelfare State. Therefore, some authors state that since the 1970s, civil rights have increased(such as the right to private property) to the detriment of social and political rights.Therefore, the re-conceptualisation of the figure of the citizen as a customer that we havepresented as close to the commercial philosophy (Musso et al., 2000, Stowers, 1990) has8. To read more about this concept from the perspective of electronic government, see Hague and Loader (1999).9. To read more about the historical and philosophical evolution of the concept, see Haque, 1999; Van Gunsteren, 1994.http://www.uoc.edu/in3/pic
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