ŠAVŠ/TAČR Digital Czechia in a Digital Europe

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The following text focuses on individual selected decentralized and centralized approaches to the regulation of e-Government in selected European jurisdictions.

DECENTRALIZED APPROACHES

Based on managerial theories of decentralization, authority is divided across multiple sites and, to a large extent, transferred to lower levels in individual bodies. Usually, decentralized management is combined with a flat organizational structure. However, because of this, control capacity is often reduced, which therefore needs to be augmented by other mechanisms. 8 The advantage of decentralized models can be seen above all as a better knowledge of the issue at professional levels rather than at the superior central body. However, it is necessary that the delegated departments have sufficient delegated powers from above. On the contrary, the clear disadvantage of decentralized models is the higher number of qualified employees in individual fragmented positions and the clear need for quality coordination of decisions with national strategic plans in the field of e-Government. Representatives of decentralized approaches to e-Government legislative solutions include Denmark, Sweden and Luxembourg. The first approach to be presented in this text is the approach of the leading country in the e-Government ranking, i.e. Denmark. A characteristic feature of the Danish e-Government strategy is to achieve a maximally informed and knowledge-based society and to increase the efficiency and productivity of Denmark while maintaining the current welfare state model and related values. 9 At the top of the supposed management pyramid is the Ministry of Finance , which is the main initiator of e-Government strategies and policies in Denmark. The formulation of strategies is based on the idea that the public sector must constantly develop and improve – i.e. working procedures and methods need to be improved to provide the highest possible quality of digitalized public administration services. The key body in charge of coordinating management is the Agency for Digitisation under the Ministry of Finance. It was established in 2011 following the abolition of the former National IT and Telecom Agency and the Danish approach – more management coordinators, two coordination centers for implementation 8 Veber Jaromír and coll., Management, Praha: Management Press, 2014. 9 Meyerhoff Nielsen Morten, Yasuoka Mika, An Analysis of the Danish Approach to eGovernment Benefit Realisation, 12/2014, see https://pure.itu.dk/portal/en/publications/analysis-of-the-danish-approach-to- egovernment-benefit-relalization(6bfafdc5-e1ef-4522-b6f2-9897e452acca).html