The Use of Geographic Information Systems in Local Government

Geographic information systems (GIS) and related technologies have been implemented for many purposes in local governments. Based on experience with other innovations, implementation will continue at a rapid rate. For technical and organizational reasons, initial implementation is typically limited...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Public administration review 1995-09, Vol.55 (5), p.461-467
Main Author: Ventura, Stephen J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administrative decision
Administrative science
Automation
Computer Software
Decision and data processing
Decision making
Geographic information systems
Geographical information systems
Information
Information storage and retrieval systems
Information technology
Innovation
Land management
Local Government
Management
Means of action of administration
Modeling
Municipal government
Participant Observation
Physical Environment
Public administration
Software
Staff Meetings
Technological innovation
Technology
United States
USA
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Summary:Geographic information systems (GIS) and related technologies have been implemented for many purposes in local governments. Based on experience with other innovations, implementation will continue at a rapid rate. For technical and organizational reasons, initial implementation is typically limited to query and display applications. Few applications as yet at the local level support complex analyses or ad hoc decision making. Evolution into applications involving spatial analysis, modeling, and prediction is constrained not so much by technical limitations as by organizational and institutional impediments. Technical issues include system components, system design, and technical expertise. Organizational issues include how well the staff of an organization understands the technology and its role, and how the organization adapts to new sources and types of information. Institutional issues are factors external to an agency that influence an organization's ability to adopt or use GIS, particularly political and economic. To overcome impediments to successful use, GISs will need to be customized for organizations, and organizations will have to adapt to new ways of generating and using information.
ISSN:0033-3352
1540-6210
DOI:10.2307/976770