DENISOV A.S. “Government as a Platform” in the Context of Public Administration Reform

DOI 10.35775/PSI.2020.34.4.005

А.S. DENISOV Post-graduate student at the Chair of political science and political administration, School of political research, Institute of Social Sciences, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russia

“GOVERNMENT AS A PLATFORM” IN THE CONTEXT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM

The article is devoted to the modern concept of "government as a platform,” it reveals its essence, principles, conditions of implementation and advantages. The emergence of the concept is associated with the process of digital transformation going on in the leading countries of the world. The author concludes that in the course of its implementation a state platform comes into existence on which the public sector cooperates with partners from the private sector and citizens. The author demonstrates that the prospects for cooperation are expanded, the provision of public services becomes more efficient, safe and fast and an effective mechanism for decision-making and public administration is created.

Key words: digitalization, the government as a platform, end-to-end technologies, public administration, public services.

Relevance. Currently, digital technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, etc., have a huge impact on society, the state and its decisions. The process of digital transformation and new technologies completely transform entire industries based on centuries-old traditions, digital transformation is mainly used in the business context, but it has a great impact on the government structures and non-governmental organizations involved in the resolution of social problems through the use of one or more of the existing and emerging end-to-end technologies.

Purpose of the study is to determine the essence, principles and conditions for the implementation and advantages of the concept of “the government as a platform.”

Theory and methodology. The research uses analytical method, system and network approaches, statistical methods, including observation, monitoring and rating. The work is based on the theory and methodology of modern public administration based on the principles of digitalization, as well as conceptual approaches to the problems of application of new technologies in the processes of cross-cutting interdepartmental digitalization, and also on the conceptual approaches concerning application of new technologies in the processes of cross-cutting interdepartmental digitalization and creation of complex organizational and technological infrastructure both for the provision of public services, and for ensuring reformation of the system of public administration. The concept of “the government as a platform” is created on the basis of this infrastructure.

At present, “digital transformation” refers to “the profound transformation of business and organizational activities, processes, competencies and models in order to make the fullest use of the whole range of digital technologies and their accelerating impact on the society in a strategic and priority manner, taking into account current and future changes” [3]. As a part of the Russian National Technology Initiative (NTI), end-to-end technologies are defined as “key scientific and technical areas that have the most significant impact on the development of markets” [7]. In fact, end-to-end technologies are those that simultaneously cover several trends or industries.

Digital transformation (digitalization) has already affected a number of significant areas of society, such as mass communication, transport, trade, housing and many others. The state is more conservative on this issue, it is significantly behind in adopting new digital practices, which creates serious risks, since the government agencies are often forced to regulate industries moving to new digital horizons at a speed that the state is not capable of. The role of the government as a regulator, as a reliable source of power in many respects has already been violated and digitalization only exacerbates this problem (as, for example, demonstrates the emergence of crypto-currencies). In this new reality, citizens have the right to expect faster interaction with the state institutions, because they already receive a rapid response in a number of essential moments of their lives. At the same time, the mechanism of public policy development is not digital and does not reflect the emerging new values demanded by an increasing number of “digital citizens.” If policy development does not reflect the new digital realities, it is safe to say that public services in their current form are outdated. End-to-end technologies affect different aspects of life, so regardless of the level of government – Federal, regional or municipal – digitalization has an impact on the expectations of citizens and businesses in obtaining public services. However, most executive authorities (in the absence of competition) have not yet developed a digital approach to the development of services; the executive branch thinking evolves slowly.

At the same time, there is a growing fundamental digital gap between the levels of government and the non-government sectors, typical for all countries of the world. Digitalization affects various aspects of citizens' lives, it has also affected expectations of citizens and organizations working with public services. However, for the state, such transition to the “digitalization” goes much slower and with more difficulties, especially when it concerns heads of state bodies, who do not understand, either at the political or operational levels, what this digitalization is about. This is a serious problem, because, as noted by the famous scientist K. Schwab, “ultimately, it is the ability of the states to adapt that will determine their survival” [11. P. 69]. While the digital revolution is creating exponential growth around us, what is interesting and troubling about this transformation is the relative absence of the state in this phenomenon. It makes the conservative position of the state in respect of digital modifications both dangerous and short-sighted [2. P. 169].

Currently, the state provides many important services in different spheres of life, but presenting them in a way based on a digital platform can make them more efficient and accessible. There is an opportunity for the digital services to be provided on a common resource (platform) not only by the state, but also by the private sector and entrepreneurs in order to reduce the burden on the state, reduce the cost of its activities and increase its efficiency. Tim O'Reilly, founder of the Web 2.0 concept, called this approach “the government as a platform” [4].

The state structures of our days still have a long tradition of analog (linear) thinking and culture of administrative and command management, which prevents them from fully realizing their potential in the digital world. Historically, the state had to use linear (sequential) process-oriented approaches to program development and performance of its functions, when the concept of mobility and data interconnectedness did not yet exist. However, in today's digital reality, the state cannot afford to be linear; it must increasingly adopt an exponential approach in its work, even if this is not understood or accepted by traditional government command and control systems. It is this state of Affairs that has led to the emergence of the concept of "the state as a platform", which in practice means not only a change in the model of the functioning of the state, but also a sharp increase in real-time data available to the public. “Today, data can be considered a new currency, and governments have more of it than any other sector By opening them up to the general public, the government agencies can interact more freely and organically with stakeholders and citizens, pulling government employees out of linear analog thinking and significantly increasing real-time collaboration, which creates innovations, leads to greater outcomes and further growth” [2. P. 171].

According to the authoritative researcher Yu.V. Irkhin, “the project “government as a platform” is an innovative, fundamentally new technological and cognitive quality of public administration. The system of indicators will instantly get a feedback from control objects, just to work with key development indicators, to record levels of personal responsibility in the process of making and implementing management decisions, to adapt the interaction modes” [5. P. 1860].

In order to implement the concept of “the government as a platform,” it is necessary to create a suitable environment for public sector employees so that they can successfully cooperate with the non-government sector, which directly challenges the traditional hierarchical approach in the activities of the state. The concept also suggests that the services should be mutually beneficial for both state and non-state actors, which can be the basis for creating an ecosystem. However, the realization of this opportunity requires not only large-scale changes in the culture of civil servants, but also a rethinking of the role of the state in the era of digital transformation.

Such platform approach creates a number of advantages:

• an organization can use its employees more effectively to do more and more meaningful work without having to increase workload; in this case, a platform approach can help develop entire industries;

• government organizations can promote transparency and democratic participation in the government programs and services;

• to some extent, we can talk about a revision of the necessary and possible in the public administration in general.

It is obvious that civil servants will never become specialists in the field of end-to-end technologies, but the creation of a platform where content is available in real time, and government experts work with specialists from other sectors, will ensure their fruitful cooperation, synergy and higher contribution of specialists from different levels and profiles [9. P. 133].

In Russia, there is also an interest in the implementation of the process of digital transformation and the implementation of the concept of "the government as a platform". Work on the concept is conducted by the center for strategic development (CSR). According to the Vice-President of the CSR M. Shklyaruk “modern technologies allow in the near future to create an environment of high-tech digital platform of public administration, which will minimize the human factor and its attendant corruption and errors, automate the collection of statistical, tax and other reporting, will ensure decision-making based on the analysis of the real situation” [12]. The administrative staff must also undergo significant changes, that is start working in the logic of consumer orientation and become oriented to the interests of those who use the final results of the functioning of the state system.

However, the concept of the “the government as a platform” is important not only in the technological aspect. This is a kind of a model of the future state, in which the number of staff is minimal, the decisions are made promptly without intermediaries such as state structures, where it will be possible to build individual trajectories for the development and solution of life situations [3. P. 3].

Goals are more important than functions: changing the ideology of problem-setting

It should be emphasized that the main goal of the implementation of the concept of “the government as a platform” is the well-being of citizens and promotion of economic growth based on the introduction of technology. Implementation of the concept will entail a number of fundamental changes. In particular, the model of state participation will not just remain a service, it will embody a proactive (automatic, without filing an application) offer of digital services that meet the needs of both citizens and businesses. The state should not only create an ecosystem of interaction, but also coordinate the interaction of all participants in the process. Special requirements within the framework of this concept are imposed on the public service, which must adapt to the digital reality, learn to work in it, acquire digital skills. Artificial intelligence systems and predictive (predictive, predictive) Analytics, which are able to take over the execution of routine operations, should become an assistant for civil servants.

According to CSR experts, Russia's technological lag behind the advanced countries is not least due to the imperfection and uncompetitiveness of the public administration system, which is not able to quickly respond to the challenges of the digital transformation. “In order to ensure Russia's competitiveness in the long term, a new system of public administration should be created, which will become the technological, regulatory and cultural basis for future development. The role of such a basis can be played by the “government as a platform,” a qualitatively new system of organization and performance of functions of public authorities of the Russian Federation, built on the basis of integrated and digitalized processes and advanced technologies” [10].

The transition to the platform state can be realized only through the implementation of digital transformation, which will create an ecosystem of the state on the basis of new principles and technologies that give qualitatively new opportunities to public administration.

Thus, the “government as a platform” is a modern model of public administration, which belongs in Russia to the category of the future, but is intensively discussed today. It is expected that by 2024 it will be partially implemented: 50 of the most popular public services will be provided instantly ("zero seconds-zero officials"), the data of all state information resources will be available in real time through software interfaces [6].

This concept, which Russia is just beginning to implement, has been implemented by the leading countries of the world for many years. Global consulting company ACCENTURE calculated the Index of readiness of different states to implement the concept of “the government as a platform” and presented 10 countries-leaders of the rating (see table 1). Among them, in addition to Singapore, the leader of the rating, we see mainly highly developed countries of Europe, the United States, Japan and two Arab states; for obvious reasons Russia is not included in this rating. In the above study, the company stressed factors that play a crucial role in the implementation of the concept “the government as a platform,” it is primarily the creation of the foundation, which allows governmental and non-governmental organizations to provide public services of new generation; the formation of thinking of change and innovation; economic growth and innovation for the provision of public services [1].

Table 1

Index of readiness of the states to implement the concept “the government as a platform” [8]

Conclusions. The analysis of the concept of “the government as a platform” allows us to draw the following conclusions.

First, data is now becoming the new currency, the foundation of the public-private partnerships in service delivery, economic and social development and innovation. Instead of storing this currency, the government should do everything possible to make its citizens use it.

Secondly, the state must learn to deliver services through ecosystems not in a linear, traditional way, but in an exponential (fast-growing) way. It should create a platform for interaction that can lead to significant economic growth.

Third, the digital transformation of an organization can be carried out without additional funding and even with the reinvestment of existing resources, this is a business model that should replace the existing one. This is the essence of digital transformations in the state, and not in the digitization of its information.

Finally, cultural change is the most important factor in the process of digital transformation and adaptation of digital public practices.

In this way, "the government as a platform" is more than a methodology, it is a holistic concept in which the public sector cooperates with private sector partners and citizens, with its help the prospects for the application of advanced technologies from predictive analytics to the artificial intelligence and virtual reality are expanding, and the provision of public services becomes more efficient, efficient and secure.

REFERENCES:

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