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International Conference on Electronic Government

EGOV 2008: Electronic Government pp 37–48Cite as

The Influence of Power in the Development of an Information Infrastructure

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 5184))

Abstract

This study addresses the role of power in the development of an information infrastructure. It examines an information system which, once implemented, was institutionalized, expanded and integrated into a network of independent systems and services which originated an information infrastructure. It describes how powerful or empowered agents contributed to develop the analyzed, information infrastructure and put into practice the first attempt to introduce e-gov, in the Brazilian State of Sao Paulo. Its implementation was initially based on the government discourse on transparency and control of public finances. However, knowledgeable actors used it to change the role they played in their institutions. Power is examined using the circuits of power framework adapted by Silva and Backhouse [1] for the information systems area. Hanseth´s infrastructure theory is adopted to study development of the information infrastructure and is complemented by disclosing the role played by power in the development of this information infrastructure.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics, Business Administration and Accounting, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 908 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil

    Leila Lage Humes & Nicolau Reinhard

Authors
  1. Leila Lage Humes
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  2. Nicolau Reinhard
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Maria A. Wimmer Hans J. Scholl Enrico Ferro

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Humes, L.L., Reinhard, N. (2008). The Influence of Power in the Development of an Information Infrastructure. In: Wimmer, M.A., Scholl, H.J., Ferro, E. (eds) Electronic Government. EGOV 2008. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5184. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85204-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85204-9_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-85203-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-85204-9

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