The final paper consists of 5 questions. Each question represents 20% of the total points allocated to this graded task. The paper is cumulative, meaning that each question touches on content that we have discussed during the semester. Good answers are those that: 1) Identify themes spanning multiple weeks, incorporate course readings and materials, and thoroughly justify the point that is being made. 

For your answers, they should range between a half page and 1 page per answer. Please format your answer using times new roman font, font size 12, and 1.5 line spacing. If your paper is not formatted appropriately you will lose 10 points. Please make sure to include a reference list.

Quality of writing (25%)

1. coherence and logic
2. grammar
3. professional tone
4. proper reference list

Relevance to the class (25%)

1. incorporates theories and concepts we discussed in class
2. demonstrates an understanding of theories and concepts in class
3. incorporates readings from class into the text

Fulfills objectives of assignment (50%)

1. addresses the question
2. Provides sufficient justification for the argument you outline
3. You provide an argument as opposed to a simple summary of existing ideas and research/articles.

Question 1

Increasingly, we see governments relying on a range of technologies in order to enhance transparency. Do you see these efforts to enhance transparency increasing the responsiveness of government? Please justify your answer and be sure to include examples.

Question 2

This semester, we discussed how government IT projects often end in failure. The reasons for failure are numerous. First, please discuss the types of IT project failure. Second, put yourself in the shoes of a public manager – what steps you would take to reduce the chances that an IT project your pursued will fail.

Question 3:

Please explain why politicians try to influence the work that is done by public organizations. After this, please explain how politicians’ attempts to exert influence on public organizations shapes the way public organizations use e-government. Please be sure to justify your response.

Question 4:

As technology progresses society grows more and more connected. For government, the progression of technology means that governments are increasingly able to collect, store, analyze, and use data it collects from citizens, buses, and other objects in order to get a sense of how society operates. In your view, please discuss implications of these trends for citizens and for government. Specifically, discuss implications of these trends for the way public organizations operate and the values (equity, efficiency, effectiveness) that public organizations try to create. Then discuss and justify your thoughts on implications of these trends for citizen – government relationships.

Question 5:

Technology promises a number of improvements to the way governments operate. In general, these improvements touch on two broad areas – internal administrative processes, and external processes that relate to citizen – government relationships. As the final question for this course, where do you see the crux of the transformative potential of IT for public organizations? Does it come from a direct effect – using technology to directly engage citizens? Or an indirect effect – using technology to improve administrative processes, which in turn improves service provision? Or, is there no effect – public organizations continue to function the way they always have at a fundamental level? Please make sure to justify your response.