The ubiquitous use of ICT in government means that we can no longer label it ‘eGovernment’, where the focus is on providing services and on utilising technology. What has in fact evolved in everyday practice is closer to ‘iGovernment’, typified by information flows and data networks and focusing not only on providing services but also on control and care. iGovernment is bringing about far-reaching changes in the relationship between the public and the authorities. Although it has practical – and very real – implications for policy and implementation, iGovernment, with a few rare exceptions, has so far been flying under the political and administrative radar. Based on this observation, this volume argues in favour of making ‘iGovernment self-awareness’ a key objective. It provides a range of policy and institutional recommendations for making the necessary paradigm shift from eGovernment to iGovernment as smooth as possible.

The impact of ICT on society and government

ICT has become part of the very fabric of government and it increasingly impacts on organisations, the professionals who work there, and their relationship with the public. All of the policy plans for eGovernment – which focus on internal operational issues, the provision of government services, and the technology itself – express massive trust in ICT as an instrument for making government more effective, client-friendly and accessible, for improving the quality of government, and for preparing government for the future. Increasingly, policymakers and politicians are turning eagerly to ICT to assist with the complex administrative work of government and to help them tackle urgent social issues such as terrorism, security, mobility, and the provision of good and affordable care. In addition to public services, other government tasks are rapidly being digitized.

Technology has very nearly become a matter of course in government, whether at the local, national or European level. Technology is ‘rolled out’, practices are ‘streamlined’ and services are ‘updated’. The level of ‘techno-trust’ among politicians and policymakers can be seen in the hugely ambitious plans they have made for and with ICT, not only in terms of the technology itself, but also with respect to actual policy. Currently popular policy themes – for example ‘customisation’ and proactive policy-making – would be unimaginable without the backdrop of digitization.