DFG - DIGILOG

In total, two research teams each from the University of Potsdam in Germany and the ZHAW in Switzerland form the interdisciplinary research consortium. The Faculty of Economics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) in Austria is closely involved in the project as a partner. To show the dynamics over time and the impact of local digital transformation, we will distinguish between disruptive and incremental change. We assume that a specific combination of explanatory factors at the macro level (e.g., country-specific institutional frameworks and administrative culture, local governance systems, and economic situation), the meso level (e.g., internal organization and resources), and the micro level (actor strategies and micropolitics) explain different transformation dynamics as well as outputs, outcomes, and impacts of digitalization.   

The project uses a mixed-methods design that combines and integrates novel quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The qualitative part here builds predominantly on the quantitative part. As a core element, we will develop a real-time monitoring platform for digital transformation at the municipal level in Europe. This will be led in particular by the ZHAW team which is responsible for the quantitative part of the research. Using web crawling methods and surveys, this quantitative part of the project aims to conduct a broad systematic data collection and analysis covering a large part of European municipalities. The team from the University of Potsdam is responsible for the qualitative part, using multiple case studies to analyze the dynamics and developments of the digital transformation of various European municipalities in depth.   

Accompanying the electronic surveys, comparative case studies will be conducted in selected municipalities that are also part of the quantitative survey sample. The case studies are conducted in municipalities, which are embedded within different administrative cultures to obtain country-specific variance in local administrative systems. The case study approach is based on field research methods and semi-structured expert interviews as well as focus groups conducted with local chief executives, chief information officers (CIOs), department heads, staff representatives, employees and citizens. Building on the interim results of the quantitative part, the aim is to gain deeper insights into the internal processes and actor constellations of the respective digital transformation paths by exploring the organizational realities in the municipalities.