Why do Norwegian municipalities struggle to use digital platforms? An explorative study concerning the drivers and prohibitors of using digital platforms

Abstract

This thesis studies the use of digital platforms in Norway. This is done through a qualitative case study that explores the drivers and prohibitors that affect municipalities in their use and development of digital platforms. Digital platforms are a part of the post-New Public Management reforms that aim to unite the public sector with citizens, non-profits and private actors in order to create a better-functioning government and society (Christensen & Lægreid, 2011, p. 133). The research is split up into two parts. In the first part, selected platform literature is used to establish a concept around the notion of platforms. The notion of platforms is a relatively new phenomenon in public administration and does not have a universal description. By establishing a concept for platforms, this thesis has a more stable basis on which the rest of the study can continue to build. The second part of the research concerns the exploration and analysis of the drivers and prohibitors experienced by Norwegian municipalities while using and developing platforms. This exploration is done based on data gathered through semi-structured interviews with eight municipalities in Norway. The interview data is then combined with administrative and organisational theories to analyse the effects of the drivers and prohibitors on the municipalities, while offering potential avenues to work with drivers and prohibitors. The first part of the thesis resulted in the construction of the following concept for the notion of platforms: A platform is a policy tool to facilitate interaction, which is shaped by its governance and framework aspects to best fit the purpose for which the platform is designed. While this concept fits perfectly within the parameters of the platform literature, it did not align with the reality found in the data gathered from the interviews. The second part of the thesis found that municipalities in Norway experience more prohibitors than drivers in their use and development of digital platforms. The main driver for the use of digital platforms is the desire of municipalities to deliver quality service. The main direct prohibitors to the use of digital platforms are resources and competence. While organisational, political/administrative and scale motivations play more indirect but still crucial prohibiting roles.