A new article by Rob Hoppe and me – “Birth of a Failure” is now out on Administration and Society!
The line of research on the Governance of Failing Technologies is developed as a further outcome of the “Translating Institutions” project. It investigates the relationship between the way failing ICT projects are framed in political settings and by scientific/industry intermediaries, and the organizational and political consequences of specific frames. It also provides some assessment tools and suggestions to policy makers.
Please feel free to drop me a line to receive a free copy.
Abstract
Government information systems failures are filling not only newspapers, but also parliamentary and administrative reports. This paper deals with a case in which information and communication technologies (ICT)-related failure claims introduced by the media influenced the parliamentary agenda, and intra-governmental relations. Drawing on a narrative analysis of a Dutch parliamentary commission’s hearings, it argues that the way the issue was initially framed by the media and then adopted, un-problematized, by Parliament steered the direction of action toward specific administrative solutions, thus shaping the landscape of possible organizational alliances. The paper recommends a proactive role of parliaments in framing ICT projects.