The making of digitalization: Like nailing jelly to a wall

Abstract

Though ‘digitalization’ has become a buzzword and policy objective in public-sector development, the struggle to grasp and define it as a modern phenomenon continues. Furthermore, research has long shown that it is difficult to extract the value with which digitalization is associated. Against this backdrop, the aim of this paper is to uncover the enactment by a specific set of actors of digitalization as production and reproduction practices. We interviewed a group of governmentally sanctioned regional digitalization coordinators to identify how digitalization was translated and implemented by the appointed professionals. We applied Orlikowski and Gash’s three levels of technology (nature, strategy, and use) and combined these with Feenberg’s matrix of four views on technology to produce an analytical framework. Our findings show that the making of digitalization can be described as like ‘nailing jelly to a wall’, owing to the lack description of its capabilities and functionalities, coupled with a raison d’etre that is highly elusive beyond ‘change’, in very general terms.

Best of the best: an investigation of policy enactment for key drivers of digitalization

“…The results indicate that the highest-ranked drivers of digitalization are efficiency, service and accessibility. This aligns with previous research on the relationship between digital technologies and service and efficiency values (Sundberg, 2019b; Ranerup and Henriksen, 2019), as well as with the majority of statements found in municipal digitalization strategies (Heidlund and Sundberg, 2023). Cordella and Iannacci (2010) note the limited nature of the efficiency notions in e-government, showing that these often revolve around “best practices” and do not consider current limitations.…”

“…It is also important to acknowledge that the key drivers examined in this paper represent only a subset of the potential drivers of digitalization, and as health-care contexts vary between countries, the drivers may need to be adapted to national contexts. Additionally, as highlighted by Heidlund and Sundberg (2023), policies should prioritize specificity rather than abstraction. In this study, some of the key drivers identified are abstract, and a more interpretive study would be necessary to gain a deeper understanding of how service and efficiency are enacted in practical terms.…”

“…This paper examines the key drivers outlined in the digitalization policies developed in the Swedish Government context, responding to calls for more research into the enactment of digitalization policies (Heidlund and Sundberg, 2021, 2023). Against this backdrop, this paper asks whether the key drivers cited in the digitalization policies are being prioritized by practitioners in health and social care and to what degree the goals proposed in the policies are being enacted.…”

‘Modern talking’: Narratives of agile by German public sector employees

“…This finding that, although to varying degrees, agile in the narratives is always thought of in relation to the core ideas of bureaucratic organisation and also builds on these, is consistent with research on earlier management trends such as NPM (Polzer et al, 2016). In this respect, Heidlund and Sundberg (2023) show that digitalisation strategies also predominantly refer to increasing efficiency as a central objective. To be recognised as an idea and reform, new trends must incorporate and build on certain taken-for-granted ideas to take hold in administrations (Polzer et al, 2016).…”

“…The structure of the arguments is often as follows: Due to environmental demands and dynamic developments, the fad is presented as a necessary change to stay up to date. At the same time, however, it is linked to existing and legitimate organisational goals and values, such as customer satisfaction, efficiency, transparency or job satisfaction (Heidlund & Sundberg, 2023). A complete rejection of existing cultures and principles therefore does not usually occur.…”