An Evaluation of Using Innovative Information Systems in Local Governments in Turkey: The Case of Cankaya Municipality

Abstract

In the last three decades, waves of globalization caused an upsurge of interest about localities and local governments with respect to various factors of production and consumption. Turkish case is no exception to this change. Beginning with 2000's, Turkish government initiated a new program for a renewed distribution of authorities between central and local governments resulting in rescaling of Turkish state. New authorities and responsibilities were decentralized to local governments. As the local governments in Turkey became the locus of all political activities, debates concerning institutional capacity of them became wide-spread. It has been widely argued that although increasing number of authorities were transferred to local governments; they lack necessary institutional capacity and know-how to manage increasing number of responsibilities and changing spatial structure. For this respect, the problem with local governments in Turkey has three facets. First of all, decision-making mechanisms of local governments is weak, both process wise and with regards to rationality, accountability and transparency. Mostly, political patronage is more influential than good governance. Secondly, implementation level of innovative information systems in decision making-mechanism with regards to spatial issues, service production and public participation is poor. For instance, although information systems like UIS (Urban Information systems), IAM (Intangible Asset Management), IRP etc. are used, they are either poorly integrated to management system or became obsolete because of lack of proper performance measurement and evaluation. In Turkish case there is a clear gap between management practices of local government service delivery and use of innovative information systems. In this paper, it is aimed to portray the underlying dynamics and problems behind ineffective use of innovative information systems in local governments in Turkey. For this purpose, one of the largest and well-known district municipalities of Turkey, Cankaya Municipality in Ankara is taken for a case study. Cankaya Municipality's technological capacity and use of innovative information systems is assessed in terms of accountability, decision-making, and public participation. Results of the assessment will be used to develop some strategies and tools for improving municipality's capacity to make better use of information systems.