Municipal Contact Centres: A Slower Approach Towards Sustainable Local Development by E-government

What is it about?

E-government is considered fast government. This is about turning this obvious first impression of e-government upside down. The article discusses instead how e-government can slow down and make services more local, personalized and sustainable. In the Swedish municipalities where most public services are provided, there are growing numbers of local contact centres (CCs) aiming to meet citizens’ needs for information and coordination of public services. The CCs localize public services and combine different services into a one-stop practice focusing on needs and demands of individual citizens and their unique situations. The municipalities hereby have to plan for service provision in new ways to meet more individualized needs that are also in line with improved sustainability. CCs are both local offices and advanced services on-line, as e-governmental services. Theoretically we take off from a time-geographical modelling of slow processes that has implication for slower, more sustainable development. Based on in-depth case studies of municipal CCs we argue that they are tools towards improved sustainability and localism, and that they are “slowing up” administrative processes. In particular, we point out that e-government has a potential to plan for, and promote, sustainability and slow local development.

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Why is it important?

It is important for policymakers and for planners at the local (minicipal) level as our findings implies how e-government can slow down and make services more local, personalized and sustainable.