Assessing integrated information systems as a strategic tool to support sustainable development in british local government: the geographic information systems (Gis) case

Ramírez González, Alicia Assessing integrated information systems as a strategic tool to support sustainable development in british local government: the geographic information systems (Gis) case. Revista Chilena de Economía y Sociedad, 2007, vol. 1, n. 2, pp. 89-114. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English abstract

Local authorities’ engagement in local sustainable development initiatives has been focused in separate ways including just one or two out of the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – but not all together. The work reported here adopts a qualitative research approach and case study methodology. Four different case studies were selected according to their stage of development using GIS to support local government’s functions. These case studies serve as a means of understanding the fundamental reasons for the GIS adoption at local level as well as the implications and impact of this technology at organisational level. While the study suggests that a formal policy or a GIS corporate strategy are the starting points, resources and GIS experience, continuity and expertise are crucial when evaluating success and failure, outcomes and results. The work reported here concludes that, to engage local authorities in GIS, middle and long-term partnership and networking initiatives appear to be critical, as well as the fundamental issue which considers not just (1) the adoption of a technological framework, (2) a planning framework and (3) a data provision framework but also (4) a periodic process of GIS measurement in the search for best practices as well as a cross-sector approach to local sustainable development.

Spanish abstract

El compromiso de los gobiernos locales en iniciativas de desarrollo sustentable ha estado focalizado a cubrir sólo una o dos de las tres dimensiones que comprende el desarrollo sustentable, [dimensión económica, social y ambiental], pero todas en su conjunto. La investigación aquí reportada ha adoptado el enfoque cualitativo y la metodología de estudio de casos. Los cuatro diferentes estudios de caso fueron seleccionados de acuerdo al estado de avance logrado en el uso de la tecnología de los Sistemas de Información Geográficos SIG para apoyar las funciones del gobierno local. Los estudios de caso son un método para comprender las principales razones para la implementación de sistemas de información georeferenciados en los gobiernos locales británicos, así como también las implicancias y el impacto de esta tecnología a nivel organizacional. Mientras que el estudio sugiere que una política formal o una estrategia corporativa de uso de los sistemas de información georeferenciados son el punto de partida, recursos, experiencia, continuidad y expertise en el uso de los SIG son factores cruciales al momento de evaluar impacto y resultados. La conclusión de esta investigación es que el compromiso de las autoridades locales en iniciativas de partnership and networking de mediano y largo plazo son puntos críticos, así como también lo son no sólo (1) la adopción de un soporte tecnológico, (2) la planificación de su arquitectura, (3) un plan y procedimientos para la provisión de datos, (4) y un proceso periódico de medición y evaluación de los SIG en busca de buenas prácticas, sino que también, (5) un a enfoque intersectorial hacia el desarrollo sustentable.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Sistemas de información geográficas, desarrollo sustentable, gobiernos locales, estudio de casos. Geographic information systems, integrated information systems, sustainable development, local government, case studies.
Subjects: H. Information sources, supports, channels. > HL. Databases and database Networking.
L. Information technology and library technology
B. Information use and sociology of information > BB. Bibliometric methods
F. Management. > FG. Local government.
Depositing user: Hector Gomez-Fuentes
Date deposited: 06 Jun 2008
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:11
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/11702

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