Public Administration and Information Technologies

Catalog description

Technology is an incredible tool but its potential to change and improve depends on humans' decisions and behaviors. The most successful technological projects are led by strategic thinkers and decision-makers, who understand the public environment and who have the ability to, as Steve Jobs used to say, connect the dots. Although many of us likely hold the belief that public organizations cannot or should not innovate, governments have been very successful in designing and implementing technology, showing that the use of technology in government can indeed make a difference in people's lives. In this course, students will learn to strategically think about information technology in public administration, by developing the necessary skills to make wise decisions about it. They will learn to identify and promote the combination of factors that will lead to successful information technology projects as well as to anticipate its desirable effects. The purpose of the course is, therefore, for students to become active participants in recognizing and critiquing the potential of information technology in public organizations and to make their own decisions to address challenges and guarantee success.