Analysis and evaluation of the information policy of local governments

Abstract

PURPOSE: The study's main aim is to identify the most common errors in implementing local information policies and identify possible factors that may support local information policies regarding their quality of preparation and performance and the effectiveness of their impact.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research methodology was based on the analysis of local information policies running in two hundred communes of south-western Poland, located in the following voivodships: Dolnośląskie, Lubuskie, Opolskie, and Wielkopolskie. It uses the own-proprietary concept of distinguishing four communal information policy models: traditional, closed, open models, and modern models, also in closed and open versions.

FINDINGS: Using the own-proprietary concept helped define the practical models of local information policies, and their advantages and disadvantages were assessed. On the other hand, statistical processing of the obtained results made it possible to determine, among other things, the frequency of leading errors in the surveyed communes.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: During the survey, the authors listed the primary mistakes made during local (communal) information policies.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The conclusions from the research on local information policies carried out in two hundred Polish communes can be fully extended to the entire country's conditions. Some can also be treated as guides to other societies and governments, especially Central and Eastern Europe. For this purpose, several practical recommendations have been formulated.