Navigation auf zora.uzh.ch

Search ZORA

ZORA (Zurich Open Repository and Archive)

What citizens experience and how omni-channel could help – insights from a building permit case

Schenk, Birgit; Dolata, Mateusz; Schwabe, Christiane; Schwabe, Gerhard (2021). What citizens experience and how omni-channel could help – insights from a building permit case. Information Technology and People:277-299.

Abstract

- PURPOSE -
By increasing the digitalization of commercial services citizens’ expect more from public services. First of all, this study will strive to identify which problems citizens encounter when they use a complex public service: preparation of an application for a building permit. In the light of the popularity of omnichannel approaches, the study then explores how omnichannel could help to address the problems which have been identified.

- METHODOLOGY -
We implement the first phases of an action design science research project. We collect data both from citizens and public agencies and frame them as transparency problems. These abstract problems are then addressed by an omnichannel service provision as an abstract solution. The abstract solution is then instantiated in a design in the form of a user scenario developed in collaboration with current and future public officials.

- FINDINGS -
The analysis uncovers multiple transparency issues: it distinguishes between process, case, language, cross-channel, and cost transparency. One root cause of the transparency issues observed is the lack of service transparency which defines the purpose and scope of a service. We therefore recommend defining a service strategy before informational and technical aspects of an omnichannel approach can be implemented. Following this strategy, omnichannel offers public administrations unique opportunities to excel in citizens’ service provision.

- ORIGINALITY / VALUE -
The study provides insights into how citizens view complex public services. For researchers, this study offers the conceptualization as transparency issues. Practitioners from the public administrations can also benefit from the concept and vision of omnichannel public services.

Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:03 Faculty of Economics > Department of Informatics
Dewey Decimal Classification:000 Computer science, knowledge & systems
Scopus Subject Areas:Physical Sciences > Information Systems
Physical Sciences > Computer Science Applications
Social Sciences & Humanities > Library and Information Sciences
Scope:Discipline-based scholarship (basic research)
Language:English
Date:27 May 2021
Deposited On:08 Jun 2021 16:03
Last Modified:12 Mar 2025 04:44
Publisher:Emerald Publishing
ISSN:0959-3845
OA Status:Green
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-06-2020-0374
Other Identification Number:merlin-id:21105
Download PDF  'What citizens experience and how omni-channel could help – insights from a building permit case'.
Preview
  • Content: Accepted Version
  • Language: English

Metadata Export

Statistics

Citations

Dimensions.ai Metrics
5 citations in Web of Science®
6 citations in Scopus®
Google Scholar™

Altmetrics

Downloads

289 downloads since deposited on 08 Jun 2021
65 downloads since 12 months
Detailed statistics

Authors, Affiliations, Collaborations

Similar Publications