Bente Glensbjerg: Digital Governance in a CSCW Perspective. - Master Thesis in Danish [Digital forvaltning i et CSCW-perspektiv], IT University of Copenhagen 2005. - Download thesis.
E-governance is a concept which has gained considerable currency in recent years. Today, public institutions at all levels are encouraged to implement e-governance in order to deliver high-quality services to citizens and enterprises, and to increase efficiency. However, the starting point of this thesis is to date research demonstrates that egovernance does not necessarily result in rationalisation and increased efficiency. This thesis introduces an empirical study of the work process in an office of a local authority administration office. The findings of this study is analysed utilising concepts from the field of Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). These findings indicate that certain problems may be related to digitalised work processes to the extent that these problems may contribute to hindering digitalised work routines from resulting in rationalisation and increased efficiency. This thesis argues that the application of CSCW as a theoretical basis contributes to identifying mechanisms related to complex office work processes which are important to take into consideration when planning digital work routines. This thesis suggests that full digitalisation of work routines may not necessarily optimise the work; instead a work routine should be designed specifically according to the work activity in question. This thesis also suggests that much attention should be paid to avoid the copy of old work routines when these are digitalised.