The Governance of Big Data: Perspectives and Issues
29 Pages Posted: 1 Jun 2013
Date Written: May 31, 2013
Abstract
Part of governance theory highlights that, within any policy domain or sub-system, the institutional structure plays a major role in shaping how policy issues are considered, actors interact, and outcomes are evaluated. This “modernist theory of governance” stands in contrast with another, “interpretive” approach, for which governance theory should provide explanations that refer to the reasons on which people act, especially by looking at actors' beliefs, preferences, and meanings. This paper investigates the formation of ideas about the role of a source of technological change and its implications for governance practices and regime. The study focuses on the emergence of Big Data and their expected role in public administration. Using Q-methodology, the analysis shows the formation of three viewpoints about Big Data and how public administration should deal with them. Findings of this study allow to draw some qualifications around the relationship between ideas and institutions for explaining governance stability and change.
Keywords: Governance theory, governance change, Big Data, Q-methodology, public administration
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