Some issues in the development of information centres for public administration

Abstract

Most of the comments made above about Information Centres serving several organisations could apply with equal force to Information Systems serving several departments of a single organisation. The justifications for both of these should be examined in the context of the working environments affected; they cannot be justified by appeals to logic and rationality alone.

This paper has examined some of the practical problems likely to arise, particularly at the political and managerial levels of public administration. It could be argued that not all parts of public administration will face these problems, that they will not occur in all countries, and that little attention has been paid here to the considerable benefits that can accrue from better information. But the need for better information must be seen as merely one element in improving the overall functioning of government. Information Centres are expensive, and there may be other priorities. In any case, if large scale, inter-organisational Information Centres are to yield their benefits, there needs to be a deep involvement by social, management and perhaps even political scientists. Such Centres are likely to have, after all, widespread effects on public administration.