Integrating knowledge and experience towards a public administration needs ecosystem

Abstract

Public administrations are an integral part of every state, which is currently changing to gradually correct the weak points of the past. Data and digital technologies are there to support this endeavor, yet the opportunities they offer are not still fully exploited in Europe, despite governments’ intentions to digitize public administration for smoother and more accessible administrative procedures. In parallel, digital transformation, intensified by the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis, is both imperative and inevitable for almost every aspect of the modern world and economy. This creates both new needs and solutions for public administrations. This paper aims to identify the open needs encountered by public administrations, involving reflections on available methodologies, data, and tools towards evidence-based policy making tailored to these needs. To accomplish that, knowledge, as represented by extensive desk research, was integrated with experience as the outcome of qualitative interviews with public administration experts from different countries. Key findings are discussed in detail concluding with a public administration needs ecosystem, mapping the needs, and uncovering similarities to support the replication of practices and procedures in different policy making settings.