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Event: ‘Technology, Public Policy Reform and Austerity’ - Public Services Workshop Series, Hilary Term, 2010
Date: February 3, 2010 12:30 pm to March 3, 2010 12:30 pm
Location: Oxford Internet Institute
ESRC Public Services Programme and Oxford Internet Institute
Public Service Workshop Series Hilary Term 2010
‘Technology, Public Policy Reform and Austerity’
12.30-1.45 Wednesdays weeks 3 to 8, Seminar Room, Oxford Internet Institute, 1 St Giles.
Conveners: Christopher Hood (All Souls, Department of Politics and IR) and Helen Margetts (Mansfield, Oxford Internet Institute)
How does government get ‘cut back’ in a public spending crisis? In spite of the UK government’s original claims that spending on public services would not be cut as a result of the credit crisis and banking bailout of 2008, leaders of the main political parties now agree that cutting the public sector will be at the heart of any recovery plan. Public policy changes and use of the internet and related digital technologies are likely to figure large in such processes. The aim of this lunchtime workshop is to take a historical look at the way technology and public policy change have figured in past periods of austerity, and how spending cuts have been achieved by these means.
Digital technologies have long been promoted as a key way to improve public sector efficiency and productivity, yet evidence that they have actually done so seems sketchy and indeed, scrapping various large-scale IT projects seems to be advocated by all three main parties as a way of achieving cutbacks in the current crisis. Has technology led to ‘leaner’ (or fatter) government or is it in fact just ‘meaner’ – in terms of conditionality in welfare spending for example? In terms of public policy change, it is likewise an open question as to whether or how far the preferred reform strategies of recent decades (such as outsourcing, private financing, more elaborate audit and inspection regimes, target systems, performance bonuses) can serve equally well for cost-savings in periods of austerity as for management in boom times.
This workshop is intended to bring in participants from several disciplines that are relevant to understanding the interaction of the internet and other technological developments on government and public services. The workshop is part of a series which has been running for several years, and comprises a small informal group of faculty and graduate students interested in the analysis of public policy, public services and executive government. It aims to work wherever possible on the basis of pre-circulated short papers, with short presentations followed immediately by discussion. It works as a ‘brown bag’ workshop, so bring your own sandwich. Water, juice and coffee will be provided. All are welcome to the workshop: contact publicservices@politics.ox.ac.uk or events@oii.ox.ac.uk if you need further information or want to put your name on the list of participants