Barriers to the digital transformation of infrastructure sectors

Liliane Manny, Mert Duygan, Manuel Fischer () and Jörg Rieckermann
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Liliane Manny: ETH Zürich
Mert Duygan: Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
Manuel Fischer: Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
Jörg Rieckermann: Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology

Policy Sciences, 2021, vol. 54, issue 4, No 10, 943-983

Abstract: Abstract Digital technologies can be important to policy-makers and public servants, as these technologies can increase infrastructure performance and reduce environmental impacts. For example, utilizing data from sensors in sewer systems can improve their management, which in turn may result in better surface water quality. Whether such big data from sensors is utilized is, however, not only a technical issue, but also depends on different types of social and institutional conditions. Our article identifies individual, organizational, and institutional barriers at the level of sub-states that hinder the evaluation of data from sewer systems. We employ fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to compare 23 Swiss sub-states and find that two barriers at different levels can each hinder data evaluation on their own. More specifically, either a lack of vision at the individual level or a lack of resources at the organizational level hinder the evaluation of data. Findings suggest that taking into account different levels is crucial for understanding digital transformation in public organizations.

Keywords: Digital transformation; Data utilization; Infrastructure; Wastewater; Switzerland; QCA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11077-021-09438-y

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