Why dont they automate Arne Krokan Solveig Midtbust

”Why don’t they automate? ” Arne Krokan / Solveig Midtbust 1

Today’s situation • Norwegian citizens are used to find private services available on the Internet (bank, airplane tickets, etc) • Some public services has been automated/digitalized • The ”e. Norway 2009 plan” says the public departments must change • Why? – Better availability , 24/7 – More satisfied users – Lower costs 2

Problem definition Is the slow e. Government adaptation rate due to: – Technological obstacles? or – Organizational obstacles? 3

Case selection Requirements: • Easy to automate • Not done before • Few stakeholders Selected organization and service: • Department of Roads and Traffic (DRT) / Statens vegvesen • Service: Temporary registration plates on motor vehicles 4

Methodical approach • Qualitative interviews • Sample • Generalization 5

Is the slow e. Government adaptation rate due to: – Technological obstacles? or – Organizational obstacles? Why has not the temporary registration plate service been automated? Is it due to: – Technological obstacles? or – Organizational obstacles? 6

Development of e. Government solutions • • Where is DRT now? Where is DRT headed for? – DRT objectives – National objectives 7

Challenges • Intra versus inter organizational processes • Public organizations versus private organizations: – Customer turnover – Monopoly services • Change has to be rooted in the organizations itself 8

Findings • Reorganization – a ten percent reduction of the workforce – great regional differences – ICT equals workforce reductions • • Customer turnover Inter organizational processes are difficult Existing IT-system over 25 years old Management does not understand what is going on at the frontline of the organization • The temporary registration plate service is possible to automate 9

Conclusion and further work • The probability that this is an organizational problem rather than a technological problem is high • More research is needed 10