The Evolution of Information Technology Management at the Federal Level: Implications for Public Administration

Abstract

Federal agencies rely extensively on information technology (IT) to perform basic missions. Arguably, public administration should be driving the theory, policy, and practice for managing these increasingly important resources. This is especially true as public organizations move to electronic service delivery to improve mission performance. However, despite some maturation in the literature for managing IT in federal agencies, public administration has contributed little to this effort. Other academic fields, such as information sciences, business administration, and practitioners, have done more to improve IT management at the federal level. This chapter analyzes federal IT management literature from several academic disciplines and government documents. The analysis compares federal IT management with a normative model of management maturity focusing on the strategic objectives for IT and related management approaches. Public administration’s lack of contribution to federal IT management raises profound questions whether federal agencies will be prepared for the information age. <BR>