The e-governance revolution is said to be changing everything, but will all the modelling tools, electronic meeting management systems and online consultations really change political judgement in policy formation? Using case studies from local and federal government in the US and Europe, Perri 6 examines these claims and presents a new theory of how policymakers use and reject information and do and don't trust each other with information in using the new tools, before analyzing the implications for democracy.

'This is a path-breaking work on the actual and potential use of electronic tools in public sector decision making. It combines fascinating case studies on leading edge applications with a thought-provoking model of institutional styles of policy making, and challenges us to imagine how the various players in the model would incorporate these electronic tools into their work. It should be required reading for anyone concerned with the future of e-governance.' - Sandford Borins, Professor of Public Management, University of Toronto

'Governments everywhere are pushing the boundaries of technology. In this important new analysis, Perri 6 carefully charts the rise of this movement in political terms and its use in shaping the judgments of policy makers. He provides strong and persuasive arguments on a central puzzle of the information age: if and how it can strengthen governance. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the effects of modern technology on government.' - Donald F. Kettl, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA

Autorentext
PERRI 6 is a leading political scientist working on public policy and the policy process. Now a Senior Research Fellow in the Health Services Management Centre at the University of Birmingham, he was previously at King's College London, Strathclyde University and the think tank Demos. His jointly written book, Towards Holistic Governance , was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2002.

Inhalt
Acknowledgements Introduction The Scope of E-Governance Examples and Initiatives The Forward March of E-Governance Halted? What Difference Could E-Governance Make? Fears, Aspirations and Theories Conducting Policy Judgement Through Information Technologies: Three Cases Policy Making: The Work of Governance The Organization of Policy Makers and the Use of E-Governance Tools Institutional Styles and E-Governance Tools Ways Forward Conclusion Notes References