Artificial Intelligence, Discretion, and Bureaucracy

Bullock, Justin

doi:10.1177/0275074019856123

Cited by 166 publications

(115 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

108

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…There have, so far, been relatively few empirical studies on the impact of automation on administrative decision-making in public administration (Bullock, 2019;Young et al, 2019: 303). There is, of course, a large body of work on e-government and how information and communication technology transforms service delivery and triggers organizational change (e.g.…”

Section: The Agency Of Algorithmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The agency of algorithms: Understanding human-algorithm interaction in administrative decision-making

Peeters¹

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

With the rise of computer algorithms in administrative decision-making, concerns are voiced about their lack of transparency and discretionary space for human decision-makers. However, calls to ‘keep humans in the loop’ may be moot points if we fail to understand how algorithms impact human decision-making and how algorithmic design impacts the practical possibilities for transparency and human discretion. Through a review of recent academic literature, three algorithmic design variables that determine the preconditions for human transparency and discretion and four main sources of variation in ‘human-algorithm interaction’ are identified. The article makes two contributions. First, the existing evidence is analysed and organized to demonstrate that, by working upon behavioural mechanisms of decision-making, the agency of algorithms extends beyond their computer code and can profoundly impact human behaviour and decision-making. Second, a research agenda for studying how computer algorithms affect administrative decision-making is proposed.

show abstract

Section: The Agency Of Algorithmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The agency of algorithms: Understanding human-algorithm interaction in administrative decision-making

Peeters¹

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the extreme, service digitization is predicted to eliminate the need for citizen‐bureaucrat interaction altogether under DEG, with service users able to interface directly with core public sector IT systems without authorization from street‐level or administrative gatekeepers (Dunleavy et al ). Open data platforms represent the sort of boundary‐redefining technologies championed by DEG, and it is this capacity that makes it, like other disruptive technologies, likely difficult to implement (Bullock ; Busch and Henriksen ; Fountain ).…”

Section: Public Sector Innovation and Open Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementation of Digital‐Era Governance: The Case of Open Data in U.S. Cities

Young

2020

Public Administration Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article examines the institutional factors that influence the implementation of open data platforms in U.S. cities. Public management scholarship has argued that governance can be transformed by new information technologies that improve transparency and engagement, reduce administrative costs, and support performance management systems. However, this argument ignores key risks for administrators, as well as institutional and political obstacles that can thwart implementation. This article uses hierarchical negative binomial regression to analyze the organizational and institutional features influencing implementation in more than 1,500 departments across 60 cities. Department type and administrative capacity are strongly associated with the number of open data files available, while city‐level institutional characteristics and administrative capacity are not significant factors. Municipal demographics are also identified as a factor, suggesting a potential demand‐side influence from wealthy and technologically proficient residents. Evidence for Practice The implementation of open data policies benefits from targeted approaches at the department level rather than uniform, citywide objectives or requirements. City executive‐level positions such as chief data or information officers are not necessarily associated with successful implementation, measured by the number of open data files made available. Open data implementation involves additional administrative responsibilities and labor at the department level, so city administrators looking to expand the number and variety of data sets available through their open data platforms should devote time and resources to working directly with departments to facilitate and encourage data sharing. Administrators looking to expand the number and variety of data sets available through their open data platforms should consider the costs associated with investing in increasing individual departments’ abilities to balance the additional administrative responsibilities and labor involved.

show abstract

“…Digital discretion can be evaluated based on frameworks emphasizing criteria such as effectiveness, efficiency, equity, and manageability (Young et al, 2019) or task complexity (Bullock, 2019).…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Discretion: Unpacking Human and Technological Agency in Automated Decision Making in Sweden’s Social Services

Ranerup

Henriksen

2020

Social Science Computer Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The introduction of robotic process automation (RPA) into the public sector has changed civil servants’ daily life and practices. One of these central practices in the public sector is discretion. The shift to a digital mode of discretion calls for an understanding of the new situation. This article presents an empirical case where automated decision making driven by RPA has been implemented in social services in Sweden. It focuses on the aspirational values and effects of the RPA in social services. Context, task, and activities are captured by a detailed analysis of humans and technology. This research finds that digitalization in social services has a positive effect on civil servants’ discretionary practices mainly in terms of their ethical, democratic, and professional values. The long-term effects and the influence on fair and uniform decision making also merit future research. In addition, the article finds that a human–technology hybrid actor redefines social assistance practices. Simplifications are needed to unpack the automated decision-making process because of the technological and theoretical complexities.

show abstract

Artificial Intelligence, Discretion, and Bureaucracy

Cited by 166 publications

References 36 publications

The agency of algorithms: Understanding human-algorithm interaction in administrative decision-making

The agency of algorithms: Understanding human-algorithm interaction in administrative decision-making

Implementation of Digital‐Era Governance: The Case of Open Data in U.S. Cities

Digital Discretion: Unpacking Human and Technological Agency in Automated Decision Making in Sweden’s Social Services

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About