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Can e-participation be a transformative innovation in South African policymaking?

Author

Listed:
  • Plantinga, Paul
  • Ayodele, Odilile
  • Sanchez, Diana Carolina
  • Daniels, Chux
  • Davids, Yul Derek
  • Dlamini, Simangele
  • Mosiea, Tshepang

Abstract

In South Africa, e-participation initiatives tend to be localised to individual municipality departments and units, often for a short time period and with limited influence on policymaking. Ensuring these initiatives are more impactful and sustaining them over a longer duration is usually seen as an issue of institutionalisation. However, meaningful e-participation involves a more fundamental reconfiguration of relationships between citizens and governments which suggests a narrow institutionalisation lens may underplay the depth of changes that are involved. For this reason, we look to an emerging body of research on ‘transformative innovation policy’ (TIP) which has explored the ways in which innovations are nurtured and scaled as part of a systemic change process. By mapping key literature on e-participation institutionalisation and diffusion against the twelve TIP sub-processes, with a specific consideration of African and developing country issues, we identify potential opportunities for directing e-participation implementation and governance towards impactful outcomes. This mapping is to be used for an in-depth analysis of e-participation pilot projects currently being implemented in South Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Plantinga, Paul & Ayodele, Odilile & Sanchez, Diana Carolina & Daniels, Chux & Davids, Yul Derek & Dlamini, Simangele & Mosiea, Tshepang, 2025. "Can e-participation be a transformative innovation in South African policymaking?," SocArXiv j5s6w_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:j5s6w_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/j5s6w_v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Plantinga, Paul & Dlamini, Nonkululeko & Gordon, Tanja, 2024. "Implementing e-Participation in Africa: What Roles Can Public Officials Play?," SocArXiv cbwx5_v1, Center for Open Science.
    2. Heeks, Richard, 2005. "e-Government as a Carrier of Context," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(1), pages 51-74, May.
    3. Marijn Janssen & Haiko Voort & Anne Fleur Veenstra, 2015. "Failure of large transformation projects from the viewpoint of complex adaptive systems: Management principles for dealing with project dynamics," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 15-29, February.
    4. Bernd W. Wirtz & Peter Daiser & Boris Binkowska, 2018. "E-participation: A Strategic Framework," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 1-12, January.
    5. Philip Cooke, 2008. "Regional innovation systems: origin of the species," International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(3), pages 393-409.
    6. Bipashyee Ghosh & Paula Kivimaa & Matias Ramirez & Johan Schot & Jonas Torrens, 2021. "Transformative outcomes: assessing and reorienting experimentation with transformative innovation policy," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(5), pages 739-756.
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