Summary: In recent years, digitization has become a global phenomenon. Digitization has been allowing the public sector to build digital government and creating a great change in the mode and culture of governance. These transformations have been making challenges as well as potentials for the public sector in the maintenance and promotion of public sector values. On the basis of synthesizing and analyzing relevant research documents to clarify public values in the context of digital government development, the article focuses on studying the impact of digital government on public values and suggests some issues to promote public values in digital government.
Keywords: Public value, public value theory, digital government, digital transformation, digital services, public sector.
- Introduction
Building digital government is one of the efforts of many governments in the public sector reform strategy to reduce costs, improve public services, save time, increase effectiveness and efficiency, and transform from traditional into modern public administration. Digital government is predicted to create many changes in all areas of the public sector, from internal governance processes, public service delivery, policy making as well as creating structural changes in the public sector. society as a whole, its values, culture and ways of conducting public affairs in the public sector by leveraging the potential of information technology. In that context, many scientists and practitioners are now particularly interested in whether digital government will change public values, and what challenges and potentials digital government will create to maintain and promote public sector values.
Public value theory has attracted the attention of researchers because it proposes to shift the focus of public sector management from effective internal management to the processes of creating values outside the organization. The use of information and digital technologies to deliver governmental services is the core of the mission of governments in the world. Understanding the creation of public values in digital government is a complex and important research. Although the development and promotion of public values have become the expectation that digital government initiatives must deliver, there is still no theoretical clarity on the meaning of public value that digital government can contribute to the creation and enhancement of public values.
- Overview of the theoretical basis of public values and digital government
2.1. Theories of public values
The concept of public values was first introduced in the book “Building public values” by Moore (1995)[1]. Both academics and practitioners public value theory has taken particular interest in public value theory since its emergence. Nevertheless, so far there has not yet been any unified definition of this concept. Public value theory was born and thrived in the 80s and 90s of the 20th century when many countries applied the new theory of public management (NPM) to improve operational efficiency of government by promoting the 3-Es (effectiveness, efficiency, and economy) through the application of private sector management principles. However, many public administration theorists have doubted and strongly opposed the theory of new public management. Kelly et al. (2002)[2] showed that governments have implemented public sector reforms based on NPM principles and created values by imitating the management, organization and finance used by the private sector. The value in the private sector is to meet the individual needs of customers through a pricing mechanism and to devalue other citizens or members of society who do not use its service. Therefore, it does not consider the overall service needs of different user groups and not encourage democratic engagement with different citizens and stakeholders. To overcome these challenges, public values are introduced as a new normative approach to guide the work of public sector managers and also enable them to consider the achievement of efficiency and effectiveness as a key task (Gains and Stoker, 2009)[3]. Similarly, Stoker (2006)[4] argued that public administration is not the same as the buying and selling of goods by the private sector in a market economy, thus determining public values from the experience of the private sector may not be appropriate in the public sector. According to Moore (1995), the public sector should not imitate the private sector in searching public values, but public managers should be tasked with identifying public values in the typical context of the public sector and should reposition their organizations to create public values. On that basis, the author proposed a theoretical framework of public values. Moore’s original public value theory has been further developed by scholars since then. In this article, we have synthesized and analyzed public values from three major angles, including: service, outcome and trust, specifically as follows:
The first component of public values is public service value. Public service value can be achieved through cost-effective delivery of high-quality services (Try and Radnor, 2007)[5]. Kearns (2004)[6] has outlined 5 basic factors affecting public service value, which are: the availability of public services, the level of people’s satisfaction with the public service, the importance of the public service provided, the fairness of public service delivery, and the cost of the public service. Kelly et al. (2002)[7] found that people’s satisfaction is an important factor that determines value creation in public services. Sharing the same view, Grimsley and Meehan (2007)[8] argue that the satisfaction of subjects in society has a great impact on the creation and promotion of public service values. To maximize the creation of public values through service delivery, a government should understand what elements are the most valuable to society in a given public service.
The second component of public values is the achievement of the desired results or the final effect. A government’s performance and outcome at the macro level are reflected in such indicators as economic growth rate, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and government stability, while a government’s efficiency at the micro level mainly refers to the quality of government service delivery, such as policy, schools, public transport, parks, streets, traffic conditions, food safety, public health services, accommodation, cost of living, entertainment services, etc. Kelly et al. (2002)[9] showed that public values that can be created by the joint effort of both government and citizens is particularly important for service outcomes and effectiveness. For example, governments cannot minimize crimes or increase public health without changing the social norms of citizens.
The third component of public values is public trust. This is the important connotation of public value. Public sector managers should maintain a high level of trust between the people and the government because it is at the heart of their relationship (Kearn, 2004)[10]. The decline of people’s trust in government may destroy public values even when services are improved or outcome goals are met. Trust in government can be defined in three main ways: first, how politicians and public organizations behave; second, how the government manages the economy and service provision; third, the general level of trust in society and trust in public organizations (Kelly et al., 2002)[11]. At the same time, society’s trust in the government depends on the integrity of the government. The key indicator to determine it is the level of corruption in the public sector. Many studies have shown that corruption creates a big gap on the level of trust in the government. Moreover, transparency is also an important component of trust in public values. Government transparency refers to how the government makes information available to citizens, including information about public policies, decisions, rules and regulations. Specifically, it concerns three distinct aspects: transparency of decision-making, transparency of policy content, and transparency of policy outcomes or effects[12]. Government transparency is considered as an important factor in society’s trust in government. Therefore, transparency can be seen as a solution to improve government performance, prevent corruption, enhance accountability to the people, and allow citizens to participate in supervising the government’s specific operations in a better manner.
2.2. Perception of digital government
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, countries in the world focused on building e-government (e-government 1.0), with the main feature being the provision of online public services, setting up government websites and information technology systems in state administrative agencies. Early applications of World Wide Web technology in the public sector replaced paper transactions. However, at this stage, the mode of operation of public sector organizations itself has remained mostly the same, only the means have changed.
From the second half of the 2000s, countries began to transition to e-government 2.0, also known as “open” government (also mentioned under the concept of “e-governance”). E-government in this period goes hand in hand with Web 2.0 technologies, in which governments, citizens and businesses can interact with each other conveniently. If e-government 1.0 focuses on changing internal process (governance), e-government 2.0 emphasizes on renovating external process, in order to increase participation, cooperation and transparency in communications between government agencies and citizens.
Since the mid-2010s, countries have evolved to e-government 3.0, supported by innovations related to open data and big data. E-government 3.0 is expected not only to work well and be open to people, but also to be able to use big data systems and artificial intelligence to make decisions, deal with social problems, optimize the use of resources, and improve the well-being and participation of citizens.
Recently, the concept of digital government, also known as e-government 4.0, has been introduced. There are many definitions of the concept of digital government, but this concept usually includes the contents of open government (2.0), smart government (3.0) and digital government (4.0). According to the OECD (2014), digital government refers to the use of digital technology as an integrated part of governments’ modernization strategies to create public values. Digital government develops an ecosystem that includes government agencies, non-government organizations, businesses, social organizations and citizens, and the interaction between these actors is realized and supported through a network of e-database systems provided by the government. Therefore, it can be seen that digital government is a higher development step of e-government. Digital government provides people with fair, comprehensive, sustainable, anytime, anywhere services. At the same time, digital government will promote transparency and also tackle corruption, bureaucracy, and monopoly in the public sector.
- Methods of research
The purpose of this study is first to explore the concept and characteristics of public values, digital government and to determine the impacts of digital government on public values through the synthesis and analysis of research studies in the world and in Viet Nam. The research questions that will be addressed in this study are: What are public values and digital government? Where is the cutting edge of public values in the context of digital government? How does digital government support the creation and promotion of public values? To answer these questions, this study analyzes and synthesizes secondary sources, including studies on public values and digital government, reports, programs, strategies, current legal provisions on digital transformation and building digital government of other countries and of Viet Nam. This study analyzes, synthesizes and provides a theoretical framework for the impact of digital government on public values. Thereby, it can assist researchers and public organizations in identifying key factors necessary to be considered when implementing a digital government project. From there, this study proposes some policy suggestions to promote public values in digital government in Viet Nam. From a practical perspective, this study will provide policymakers with a frame of reference to understand the impact of digital government on the building and promotion of public values. In the future, further studies, both quantitative and qualitative, are needed to analyze and evaluate the theoretical framework proposed in this study, as well as more in-depth analysis on the relationship between digital government and public values.
- Research results and discussion
4.1. Impact of digital government on public values
Information and digital technology have currently played an important role in government modernization programs. The use of IT and digital technology is closely linked to the creation of values. Digital government creates values by applying IT to support core government missions. Digital government emphasizes the central importance of IT and communications in public sector management systems and in methods of interacting with citizens. Digital government promises a potential transformation to a more real, integrated, agile and comprehensive government, where the activities of the organization are visible in detail to the employees under public authorities as well as citizens and social organizations. Digital government can bring such benefits as: reducing corruption, increasing transparency, convenience, revenue, and reducing costs.
Public value theory shifts the focus of public sector management from within organizational boundaries to society, from how to better produce public services to how to deliver public services that better satisfy society’s needs. The popularity of digital technologies has accelerated this transition and makes a strong argument for building and promoting public values as the ultimate goal of digital government initiatives. While the NPM theory conceives of digital technology as merely an effective management tool, public value theory and value-based public management provide a broader perspective by considering the complex transitions required to shift the focus from the production of public services to the implementation of public expectations and goals (Bannister & Connolly, 2014)[13].
Digital government will facilitate state administrative agencies to coordinate with many internal and external stakeholders for smooth operation, thereby promote public values. When algorithms are applied, they will have special effects on public administration systems to solve complex tasks, reducing administrative burden. By completing tasks faster, minimizing process errors and costs, artificial intelligence promises to improve public administration performance and public service delivery (less bureaucracy and simpler processes). At the same time, a number of important areas such as national security, administrative decision-making, health, science and education, communication, infrastructure, etc., can benefit from this. analysis and use of big data. Kearn (2004) believed that IT and digital technology will play an important role in creating public values through the quality of provided public services, the accessibility, convenience, speed, cost and efficiency of government public services. Kearn (2004) studied the impact of IT and digitization in creating better outcomes in the education, health and transport sectors in the UK. He showed the evidence that IT and digitization have played an important role in creating better outcomes in these three areas.
Digital government will promote public values by increasing transparency, accountability and anti-corruption. Corruption is the abuse of public power for personal gain, which not only undermines investment and economic growth but also increases poverty. Digital government based on the use of big data and open data systems is expected to increase transparency in the decisions of public servants and public organizations.
Digital government will promote and support public values by encouraging the participation of stakeholders based on the foundation of digital technologies. Accordingly, e-democracy will attract citizens and social organizations to discuss, debate, consult and vote online, which is generally recognized as one of the key features of digital government transformation. Only when citizens have enough political power to participate in elections, make policies, administer and supervise, can they promote the state and join hands in building public order and power. Guttman (2008)[14] also explained that the involvement of social organizations has led to many public-private partnerships (PPPs) and outsourcing some services to private service providers. Currently, IT and digitization enable bottom-up control over public services and empower citizens and other stakeholders to contribute to or lead public value creation.
By synthesizing and analyzing the theoretical basis of the above studies, we would like to propose a theoretical framework on the impact of digital government on public values as follows (Figure 1):
Figure 1. Theoretical framework on the impact of digital government on public values (synthesized and proposed by the authors)
4.2. Some issues on promoting public values in building digital government in Viet Nam
In Viet Nam, the national digital transformation is reflected in Party documents. For example, the Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW dated September 27, 2019 of the Politburo on a number of guidelines and policies to actively participate in the fourth industrial revolution targeted to “basically complete the digital transformation in Party and state agencies, the Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations; belong to the group of four leading ASEAN countries in the ranking of e-government according to the assessment of the United Nations” by 2025. On that basis, the Prime Minister issued the “National digital transformation program up to 2025, with orientation to 2030″ (issued together with the Decision No. 749/QD-TTg dated June 3, 2020 of the Prime Minister). Next, the Prime Minister issued the Strategy to develop e-government towards the Digital Government in the period of 2021 – 2025, with orientation to 2030 (issued together with the Decision No. 942/QD-TTg dated June 15, 2021 of the Prime Minister). Pursuant to the Decision No. 749/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Information and Communications issued the Decision No. 1726/QD-BTTTT dated October 12, 2020 on approving the scheme for creation of digital transformation indexes applicable to ministries, ministerial-level agencies, governmental agencies, provinces and central-affiliated cities and national digital transformation index.
As the above analysis, digital government can affect and promote public values in many aspects. To achieve that, it should consider these following issues:
Firstly, the issues related to fairness and ethics in the use of data are important topics on digital government. This is also a big challenge that governments have to deal with since it can become a serious barrier in the digital transformation process. Many studies also warn about the limitations of digital government in ensuring equal access and discrimination. People’s ability to access digital government depends on many factors such as geographical location, historical traditions, cultural policies, qualifications, education… The income disparity also makes a part of the population left behind and lost in the process of accessing digital government services. This is also an issue that needs attention in building a digital government in Viet Nam.
Secondly, building an integrity and fair government from the integrity of the organization’s operating mechanism to the quality of each member of the government, is reflected in the integrity and transparency, putting the interests of the people first, no personal interests, no group interests… Integrity and fairness require the common administrative principles be clearly defined and observed at all levels of management. Instead of just publishing its guiding principles, the government should proactively take all opportunities to demonstrate what they mean in practice. The interaction, transparency and openness of activities as well as the identification of common rules are essential to foster trust among governmental organizations. One of the most important contents and solutions in building a government of integrity is the promotion of anti-corruption and the strengthening of public service ethics. It should focus on building and training public service ethics because this is a decisive factor for the people’s and society’s trust in the government. Public service value systems such as integrity, honesty, objectivity, loyalty, serving the people should be preserved and promoted for leaders and governmental officials.
Thirdly, it is necessary to build an “open” government through increasing government transparency and accountability. The core of “open” government is to do well in information disclosure and transparency; ensure the people’s participation and attach importance to the implementation of social self-governance. An “open” government gives the people an opportunity to evaluate the management and administration activities of the government. Information disclosure and transparency are fundamental to ensuring citizen’s participation and supervision, promoting government accountability as well as contributing to curbing corruption in the public sector and helping organizations and individuals effectively use the information resources held by the government, thereby creating a lot of values for society. Therefore, it requires the structures, processes and practices to be transparent, accessible, and clearly transmitted. At the same time, the government needs to be more transparent, more dialogue, promote more democracy in its management and governance, provide more access to services and information, and respond to the new ideas and needs of society.
Fourthly, it is necessary to improve the mechanism of “listening” and feedback from society. Social trust is improved when citizens are involved and contribute to policy making and giving feedback on government public services. The government needs to monitor service performance and ensure that citizen’s feedback is consistently translated into better services. Measuring the satisfaction of people and organizations with the service of state administrative agencies is to objectively assess the quality of public service provision, the service of state administrative agencies, expressing the government and authorities for the people. This work is not only new and difficult but also sensitive, since it requires the government and authorities to have the courage to listen to the criticism of the people, organizations and vice versa, the people and organizations are also brave to make frank remarks to the government and authorities.
Fifthly, along with great benefits, cyber threats have become the top concern of many countries in building digital government and promoting public values. Those are the challenges of cyber intelligence, cyber espionage, cyber terrorism. Cyberspace can become an environment for international terrorist organizations to propagate, select, train and direct activities against the Party, State and social regime. At a higher level, hostile forces can, through personal blogs, entice and incite disgruntled elements, gather forces, and set up opposition organizations under the guise of a “democracy forum” to distort the Party’s platform, guidelines, viewpoints and ideological foundation[15].
- Conclusion
Building a digital government is the orientation of the Party and State of Viet Nam and the right direction in the current period. In order to build a digital government and continue to maintain, promote the values of the public sector, there are many problems. The content in this study is based on the synthesis and analysis of secondary research documents related to public value theory and the studies of scholars around the world on digital government and its impact on public values. On that basis, this study has proposed a theoretical framework on the impact of digital government on public values, simultaneously suggested a number of issues that need attention in promoting public values in the context of building a digital government in Viet Nam in the current period.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Hai
Dr. Hoang Vinh Giang
References
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[1] Moore, M. (1995) Creating public value. Cambridge. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
[2] Kelly, K., Mulgan, G. and Muers, S. (2002) Creating Public Value. An Analytical Framework for Public Service Reform. London: Cabinet Office.
[3] Gains, F. and Stoker, G. (2009) Delivering ‘Public Value’: Implications for Accountability and Legitimacy. Parliamentary Affairs 62 (3), pp. 438–55.
[4] Stoker, G. (2006) Public Value Management: A New Narrative for a Network Government?. American Review of Public Administration 36 (1), pp. 41–57
[5] Try, D. and Radnor, Z. (2007) Developing and Understanding of Results-based Management through Public Value Theory. International Journal of Public Sector Management 20 (7), pp. 655-73.
[6] Kearns, I. (2004) Public value and e-government. Institute for Public Policy Research, London.
[7] Kelly, K., Mulgan, G. and Muers, S. (2002) Creating Public Value. An Analytical Framework for Public Service Reform. London: Cabinet Office.
[8] Grimsley, M. and Meehan, A. (2007) E-Government Information Systems: Evaluation-led Design for Public Value and Client Trust. European Journal of Information Systems 16 (2), pp. 134-48.
[9] Kelly, K., Mulgan, G. and Muers, S. (2002) Creating Public Value. An Analytical Framework for Public Service Reform. London: Cabinet Office.
[10] Kearns, I. (2004) Public value and e-government. Institute for Public Policy Research, London.
[11] Kelly, K., Mulgan, G. and Muers, S. (2002) Creating Public Value. An Analytical Framework for Public Service Reform. London: Cabinet Office.
[12] Grimmelikhuijsen, S. Porumbescu, G. Hong, B. and Im, T. (2013). The Effect of Transparency on Trust in Government: A Cross-National Comparative Experiment. Public Administration Review, pp. 575-586.
[13] Bannister, F., & Connolly, R. (2014). ICT, public values and transformative government: A framework and programme for research. Government Information Quarterly, 31(1), 119– 128
[14] Guttman, D. (2008) Government by contract: Considering a public service ethics to match the reality of the “blended” public work force. Accessed on October 2, 2021 from http://law.emory.edu/.
[15] Propaganda e-Magazine (2019) “Enhancing the sense of ownership and protection of cyberspace among officials, party members and people”. Accessed October 2, 2021, from https://tuyengiao.vn/bao-ve-nen-tang-tu-tuong-cua-dang/nang-cao-y-thuc-lam-chu-va-bao-ve-khong-gian-mang-cua-can-bo-dang-vien-va-nhan-dan-121151.
