This study explores Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in government. Based on an interdisciplinary literature review and multiple-case study design, a model of Citizen Relationship Management (CiRM) is developed and discussed. The case studies explore the perceptions of CRM/CiRM by administrators, elected officials and consultants as well as its implementation and impact on the municipal level and in a multijurisdictional environment in the United States. Although the explorative part of the study focuses broadly on a theoretical conceptualization of CiRM, the immediate empirical referent of research are the 311 initiatives in the City of Baltimore, the City of Chicago, the City of New York and Miami-Dade County. Thus, the results help administrators and researchers to convey the idea and challenges of 311 well. The study shows that CRM is to a certain extent only partly able to make novel contributions to currently active reform movements in government. In addition, the study's findings support the idea that CiRM provides the means to a different kind of public participation.

Autorentext

The Author: Alexander Schellong has been a Research Fellow at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge National Center for Digital Government/Program on Networked Governance (USA). He has been teaching executives and students at Harvard University (USA), Tecnológico de Monterrey EGAP (Mexico), The University of Tokyo (Japan) and the University of Erfurt Erfurt School of Public Policy (Germany). He received his M.A. in Political Sciences and Economics and Ph.D. from the University of Frankfurt am Main (Germany). The author s studies focus on the impact of technology on organizations and customer oriented management practices. He also consults on these and other topics with public and private organizations locally and internationally.

Inhalt

Contents: From Customer Relationship Management towards citizen oriented government - CRM - New Public Management - TQM - eGovernment - Citizen public administration relationship - Citizen as customer - Administrative contacting as public participation - Case Studies: CiRM and 311 in Baltimore, Chicago, New York City, Miami-Dade County (Implementation, Understanding, Impact) - Comparing CRM with TQM and eGovernment - A model of Citizen Relationship Management - CiRM and public participation.