Call for Papers
dg.o 2014
15th Annual International Conference on
Digital Government Research
Open Innovations and Sustainable Development in Government:
Experiences from around the World
Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)
Aguascalientes City, Aguascalientes, Mexico
Wednesday – Saturday, June 18-21, 2014
Submission deadline—February 1st, 2014
Home page: http://dgsociety.org/conference/2014
General inquiries: dgo2014@easychair.org
Twitter: DGSociety, #dgo2014
Paper submissions: https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=dgo2014
Governments around the world are embracing different “open innovations” to foster sustainable development such as open government, policy informatics, smart technologies, semantic technologies, web services applications, open and transparent government, social media, crowd sourcing, data integration, visualizations, analytics, new collaboration models and practices, data sharing, computing infrastructure models, and cyber-security.
With the idea of exploring these experiences in the public sphere, the Digital Government Society (DGS) announces the 15th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research – dg.o 2014. The dg.o conferences are an established forum for presentation, discussion, and demonstration of interdisciplinary e-Government and political participation research, technology innovation, applications, and practice. Each year the conference combines:
- Presentations of effective partnerships and collaborations among government professionals and agencies, university researchers, relevant businesses, and NGOs, as well as grassroots citizen groups, to advance the practice of e-Government.
- Presentations and discussions on new research on e-Government as an interdisciplinary domain that lies at the intersections of information technology research, social and behavioral science research, and the challenges and missions of government.
- A showcase of e-Government projects, implementations, and initiatives that bring together the research and practitioner communities, demonstrate the effectiveness and/or challenges of e-Government, and offer best practices.
Democracy today faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges. New technologies provide citizens, governments, industry and non-governmental organizations with the opportunity to redefine the relationship between government and the public that they serve, create innovative and customer-focused services, encourage transparency, promote participatory democracy, facilitate the co-design of services, form new partnerships in service delivery, streamline operations and reduce costs, and build trust in government. But harnessing and implementing technologies effectively raises a number of policy, technology, and governance challenges. This year, the conference program will focus on research and practice related to big data, open innovations, sustainable development in governments and non-profit organizations. The availability of large quantity of data, growth in computing power, and advanced analysis and presentation tools have given rise to new opportunities for developing policy instruments and creating public-private partnerships to improve government services as well as to create new, innovative practice. Furthermore, the combination of new technology, policy tools, collaborative governance and innovative practices could play transformational roles in fostering sustainable development around the world.
Submissions addressing this theme could include but are not limited to: big data, open government, sustainable development, policy informatics, smart technologies for governments, semantic technologies for e-government, web services applications, open and transparent government; social media and public participation; effective use of social media by governments, citizens and organizations; crowd sourcing for government decision making; transformative government; models of collaboration among government, industry, NGOs, and citizens; data integration, visualizations, and analytics for government decision making or public collective problem solving; agile and flexible government; financial/economic/social policy making; policy and governance issues that enable, facilitate, and promote smart government; government productivity and effectiveness; service quality and customer-centric e-Government; social and health infrastructure; global government collaboration models and practices; infrastructure for data sharing among government agencies or non-governmental organizations or citizens groups; computing infrastructure models, cyber-security and project management; IT-enabled government management and operations, and interest in program execution; IT and tools to support government security; and methods to measure and evaluate success in e-Government and private and public participation in governance.
In addition, we welcome submissions from the broader domain of digital government research. We invite completed research papers, papers describing management and practice, policy and case studies, on-going research posters, and live demonstrations that demonstrate the use of technology to promote innovative e-Government services. We particularly encourage submissions on interdisciplinary and crosscutting topics. We also encourage the submission of suggestions for panels, and pre-conference tutorials and workshops.
Accepted papers are published in the ACM Proceedings Digital Library, and selected papers will appear in leading journals such as Government Information Quarterly and Information Polity.
The conference has six thematic tracks, which accept full research papers as well as management case studies and policy papers (see below for paper submission types), and one track for panel proposals. Each track has two co-chairs who are responsible for managing the submission and review process for their track. The conference also accepts work in progress and short descriptions of applications on any topic. We also welcome proposals for workshops and tutorials, which can be submitted directly to the Easychair system. Feel free to get in contact with any track chairs for guidance.
Track 1. Social Media and Government
Track chairs: Andrea Kavanaugh and Rodrigo Sandoval
The use of social media has been growing rapidly and globally. Governments at all levels have been using these media for public administration and for outreach to citizens. Citizens, businesses and voluntary associations have been using them to share information, ask questions, and to collaborate on problem solving in neighborhoods, states, industries and nations. The growing use of social media has created new challenges and opportunities for all users, e.g., changes in regulations and policies, marketing, and more diverse perspectives and feedback. However the staggering number and diversity of messages and topics generated is difficult to process and make sense of, not only on a day-to-day basis, but also during crises. Social media have also offered broader, more diverse participation in collective problem solving and governance. This track welcomes research and practice papers addressing a range of similar or related topics on social media analysis on content, metrics, case studies or theoretical models to advance this area of research.
Track 2. Transformation and Open Government
Track chair: Marijn Janssen, Natalie Helbig and Vishanth Weerakkody
Many governments are working toward a vision of government-wide transformation that strives to achieve an open, transparent, accountable government while providing demand-driven services. To be successful in this vision fundamental changes are necessary in practice and new research that examines governments as open systems seeking participation and interaction with their environment is needed. The track solicits papers addressing the issue of public sector transformation between government and the environment.
Track 3. Emerging Topics
Track chairs: John C. Bertot, Paul Jaeger and Chris Reddick
The continual development of new technologies, big data applications, policies, and management practices keep digital government research and practice in a state of perpetual evolution. This evolution also provides governments with ways in which to cultivate innovative, smart, and transformational government services. The Emerging Topics track seeks submissions that provide insights into emerging digital government research and practice.
Track 4. Organizational Factors, Adoption Issues and Digital Government Impacts
Track chair: Chris Hinnant and Lei Zheng
Public organizations employ information and communication technologies (ICT) to facilitate communication and transactions with many stakeholders such as residents, private sector businesses, non-profit organizations, and other government agencies. While recent digital government research has often focused on understanding the external impacts of ICT adoption by government, the adoption and implementation of new ICT by public organizations is influenced by organizational factors such as the availability of resources (i.e. funding, technological knowledge, and personnel), leadership, and the organization’s technological culture. This track solicits research that examines the organizational factors that influence the adoption and implementation of new ICT as well as the impact of new ICT on the organizational processes, effectiveness, and innovativeness of public organizations. Research in this tract may examine the adoption, use, and organizational impacts of a variety of innovative technologies and practices including but not limited to social media technologies, citizen-centric technologies, virtual collaborative work practices, and technologies that facilitate the collection and analysis of large data sets. Furthermore, the tract is also interested in the adoption of innovative policies or practices that seek to facilitate the strategic use of ICT by public organizations.
Track 5. Smart Cities, Smart Citizens and Smart Government
Track chair: Soon Ae Chun and Sehl Mellouli
Cities, governments and citizens face the challenging issues of sustainability as the existing infrastructure systems are quickly surpassed by growing populations, heightened demands for services and resources, and growing interdependencies of different systems. The concept of smart cities, smart governments and smart citizens is to utilize technology to create innovative solutions to the quality of life and sustainability and achieve not only the operational efficiencies but also transforming policy development and governance. This track aims to facilitate theoretical, empirical and technical discussions on approaches towards the smart government, smart cities, smart community and smart citizens. Topics include but not limited to the technical and policy innovations in the area of energy, transportation, health, education, public safety, buildings, urban planning, environment, business, cyber security and privacy, and others.
Track 6. Panels
Track chairs: Teresa Harrison and Juan Manuel Gomez-Reynoso
Panel proposals may address themes or topics related to any of the tracks for the conference. Additionally, we welcome panel proposals that put a spotlight on practice and application. Proposals from practitioners at all levels of government featuring experiences with, perspectives on, and evaluations of digital government practice are encouraged. Individuals interested in submitting panel proposals are invited to consult the panel co-chairs about their ideas prior to developing their submissions.
IMPORTANT DATES
- February 1, 2014 – Papers, workshops, tutorials, and panel proposals due (For panel proposals, please send expressions of interest in proposing a panel earlier, if possible, to Teresa Harrison (tharrison@albany.edu)
- March 15, 2014 – Application deadline for 2014 Doctoral Colloquium
- March 15, 2014 – Papers, workshops, tutorials, and panel proposals notifications
- March 30, 2014 – Posters and demo proposals due
- April 15, 2014 – Camera-ready manuscripts due
- April 15, 2014
- – Acceptance notifications
- May 5, 2014 – Conference hotel block closes – make your bookings before this deadline!
- May 20, 2014 – Early registration closes!
- June 18-21, 2014 – Dg.o 2014 conference!
SUBMISSION TYPES AND FORMATS
- Research papers (maximum of 10 pages)
- Management, Case Study, or Policy papers (maximum of 6 pages)
- Panel descriptions (maximum of 4 pages)
- Posters (maximum of 2 pages)
- System demonstrations (maximum of 2 pages)
- Pre-Conference tutorial proposals (maximum of 2 pages)
- Pre-Conference workshop proposals (maximum of 2 pages)
- Doctoral colloquium application (maximum of 10 pages)
Submissions must not exceed the maximum number of pages specified for each type of submission in camera-ready ACM Proceedings format (double column, single spaced pages). Please do not use page numbers. Paper titles should be on the first page of text, rather than on a separate cover page.
- Research and Policy papers will be reviewed through a double blind review process. Therefore, author names and contact information must be omitted from all submissions. Authors must identify the topic(s) being addressed in the paper to assist the program committee in the review process.
- All other submissions should follow the same ACM proceedings camera-ready format with author names included on the paper.
- All accepted submissions will appear in the proceedings, and authors are expected to present their work. At least one author for each accepted paper must register before the camera ready version is due in order for it to be included in the proceedings.
Submissions are through: https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=dgo2014
Research papers (maximum 10 pages) – blind review
These submissions report innovative digital government research results in the form of a formal scholarly paper. Papers on any digital government topic and all research methodologies are welcome. Relevance to digital government problems, goals, or policies must be explicit.
Management, case study, or policy papers (maximum 6 pages) – blind review
These submissions describe and evaluate practical digital government projects or initiatives, discuss major policy themes, or present and evaluate management approaches to digital government initiatives and programs.
Panels (maximum 4 pages)
Proposals should include information about the theme and goals of the panel, a summary of the digital government issues or questions that the panel will address, statements about the value of the discussion to conference attendees and how well suited the topic is to a panel discussion. In addition, the proposal should include information about the expertise of the moderator and panelists in the selected issues. Please include names, institutional affiliations, addresses, email, and phone contact numbers of the contact person, moderator, and presenter(s).
Posters (maximum of 2 pages)
The poster session, held in conjunction with the system demonstrations, allows presenters to discuss research in progress, application projects, or government policies and program initiatives in one-to-one conversations with other participants at the conference. The 2-page summaries should outline the nature of the research, policy, or project and describe why the work will be of interest to dg.o attendees. Posters prepared for the conference should measure approximately 36″ x 48.” Each poster station is provided with a table and an easel. Selected poster submissions may be asked to give an oral presentation in the conference sessions.
System Demonstrations (maximum 2 pages)
System demonstrations are held concurrently with the poster session to the accompaniment of good food and professional fellowship. The 2-page summaries should outline the nature of the system and describe why the demonstration is likely to be of interest to dg.o attendees. Demonstrations of interest include systems under development or in active use in research or practice domains. Submissions should include authors’ names and contact information according to that format. Each station is provided with a table, an easel, and Internet access. Monitors will be available for rent. Selected demo submissions may be asked to give an oral presentation in the conference sessions.
Pre-conference Tutorials (maximum 2 pages)
dg.o tutorials are half- or full-day presentations that offer deeper insight into e-Government research, practice, research methodologies, technologies or field experience. In particular, tutorials are intended to provide insights into good practices, research strategies, uses of particular technologies such as social media, and other insights into e-Government that would benefit researchers and practitioners.
Pre-conference Research or Management Workshops (maximum 2 pages)
We invite workshop proposals on any e-Government research or management topic. Workshops are half- or full-day events intended to offer interactive sessions, in which the workshop host and participants discuss and engage in activities designed to facilitate joint learning and further exploration of a particular subject. Individuals proposing workshops will assume the responsibility of identifying and selecting participants for the workshop and for conducting workshop activities.
Doctoral Colloquium (maximum 10 pages, not including references, tables and figures)
The Doctoral Colloquium is a highly interactive full-day forum in which Ph.D. students meet and discuss their work with each other and with senior faculty from a variety of disciplines associated with digital government research. The colloquium is planned for Wednesday June 18, 2014. PhD students can submit papers describing their planned or in-progress doctoral dissertation covering any research areas relevant to digital government. Ideally, student participants will have completed one or two years of doctoral study or progressed far enough in their research to have a structured proposal idea and perhaps some preliminary findings, but have not reached the stage of defending their dissertations. We expect students at this stage of study will gain the most value from feedback on their work and from the more general discussions of doctoral programs and scholarly careers. See the detailed announcement for complete information on the colloquium and how to submit an application. Material provided in applications to the doctoral colloquium will not be published in the proceedings. However, we encourage students to submit finished research to one of the paper tracks or as a poster or demo.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
- All accepted management or policy papers, research papers, student papers, panels, posters, and system demonstrations will be published in the printed proceedings and included in the ACM digital library. Selected papers may be invited for a journal special issue.
- Outstanding achievement awards will be presented in the categories Research papers, Management and policy papers, Posters, and System demonstrations. Papers that reflect the theme of the conference, form E-Government to Smart Government, will be preferred. Other selection criteria include the interdisciplinary and innovative nature of the work, its contribution to and balance between theory (rigor) and practice (relevance), the importance and reach of the topic, and the quality of the writing for communicating to a broad audience.
CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION
The dg.o 2014 conference management team includes:
- Conference Co-chairs:
- Scott Robertson, University of Hawaii
- Gabriel Puron-Cid, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas
- Program Chairs:
- J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas
- Jing Zhang, Clark University.
- Track Chairs:
- Andrea Kavanaugh, Virginia Tech
- Chris Hinnant, Florida State University
- Chris Reddick, University of Texas San Antonio
- John Bertot, University of Maryland College Park
- Lei Zheng, Fundan
- Marijn Janssen, Delft University
- Natalie Helbig, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany
- Paul Jaeger, University of Maryland College Park
- Rodrigo Sandoval, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México
- Sehl Mellouli, Laval University
- Soon Ae Chun, City University of New York
- Vishanth Weerakkody, Brunel University
- Panel Chairs:
- Teresa Harrison, University at Albany
- Juan Manuel Gomez-Reynoso, Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes
- Workshop and Tutorial Chair – Soon Ae Chun, City University of New York
- Poster and Demo Chair – Gabriel Puron Cid, CIDE
- Doctoral Colloquium Chairs:
- J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas
- Marijn Janssen, Delft University
- Soon Ae Chun, City University of New York
- Sharon Dawes, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany
- Björn Niehaves, Hertie School of Governance