Impact of Context and Organisational Behaviour on e-Participation Introduction: Theoretical Model for Comparative Analysis

The objective of the proposed paper is to introduce a theoretical analytical model regrouping different factors that impact on the introduction of instruments falling under the scope of digital democracy and electronic participation (e-Participation). Despite the topicality of studies on the potential of modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) for online political participation, public initiatives in this direction have been rare and often restrained both territorially and in regard to issues they tackled (Elberse, Hale and Dutton, 2000; Hacker, 2000; Bellamy, 2003). Studies had shown that the introduction of electronic participation has been far from homogenous in different countries and has been influenced by a range of factors (Van Dijk, 2000). Based on a document analysis and semi-structured interviews conducted in Switzerland, where e-Participation introduction has been comparatively slow (UN, 2014), we developed a multi-variable model for the assessment of e-Participation readiness. Our approach undertakes a politological and sociological angle to the study of e-Participation while reflecting also on technological pre-requisites of its introduction. The theoretical foundation of the model is based on constructivist approach and new institutionalist tenets that are used to explain organisational behaviour. The groups of variables in the model are distinguished in regard to their relation vis-à-vis the organisation. Based on this criterion, they are divided into three categories: external environmental, institutional and organisational. Environmental and institutional variables together create what is considered the context of organisations such as defined by Johns (2006). The impact of contextual variables on organisational behaviour is of one-way character; organisations have to accept these variables as given. The other group of variables is composed of internal organisational variables that impact on organisational behaviour and relate to organisational structures. Organisations whose behaviour is to be analysed by the present model are public administrations since they are often in charge of e-Participation implementation. While political structures are likely to define the guiding principles and the road map for e-Participation introduction, its concretisation is left to the administration, principally to public offices, street-level public officials and technological experts. For this reason, when we refer to organisations, it will be primarily public administrations that will be addressed. An important dimension of the proposed model is the possibility to conduct a more general comparison between majority, proportional and consensual political systems. The questions that should be answered in this connection are the following: Is one of the systems more favourable towards e-Participation introduction than the other two? When considering the top-down and bottom-up forms of e-Participation introduction, is it possible to typify political systems according to their conformity with one of these two ways of e-Participation introduction? Is it possible to generalise which group of variables (environmental, institutional or organisation) causes the most important challenges to e-Participation introduction? In order to increase its generality and accuracy, the model should be empirically tested in different institutional and environmental settings. The ultimate objective of the model is to explain the differences in e-Participation introduction across different countries and thus provide guidelines for its implementation in concrete settings.