PA and Technologies

Public Administration has properties that are founded in communication and the collection and interpretation of information. These novel technologies that explore communication virtually are important to explore in order to refine the practices of public administration. As the world becomes intrinsically attached to the internet and web worlds government practices will follow suit. The faster and more information that can be colected and used to perform services will, and seems to be increasing exponentially. One problem I would like to address is the accessibilty to technology in rural and lower income communities,and non profit interaction in these communities.

On the professionial side of providing services it is usualy not a question to have access to computers, technology and resources to perfom the jobs and duties. There are exceptions, and organizations that do not have the most up to date technology, but it would be surprising to have no access. Yet, on the other side of the table, the customers and populations being served seem less fortunate.

How can an organziation, for example, that is tryig to collect data for welfare services truly identify certain necessary data if, these population sectors cannot provide the data accurately, or at all. It seems that in order for these types of services to be provided more effectively, a better method of data collection and communication with the communities inolved is needed.

Obviously it will not be easy, but there has to be some type of effort made to create technolgy centers, and or make technology available to these lower income and rural communities. Whether that effort be made through private or governmental efforts is a question in of itself, but there must be some strive for this. This effort will allow the people who need services to more actively voice their positions, concerns, needs, and voices. In turn the public administration sector will have more reliable data and masses of data that can be correlated to provide more effective and needed services.

So, how do we address this situation? First the use of technology on the professional side should compile an effort to actively resource money to build tehnology centers in rural and lower income communities. Currently the most common ways that these communities have access to the internet and computing services is through the local library and some community centers. Effective, but not all cities offer equal services, or resourceful opportunities to all. A lot of these services are targeted at youth and schooling endeavors, which is great, but the adult sector neeeds access as well. A collaboraive effort between government and private technolgy companies should be made to build Technology centers. A place where residents and community memebers can go to use computers, the internet, and technolgy to improve their lives and the community they live in. These could be the future libraries. A building full of computers that will connect the lower income and rural sectors to the advancing world. Just as cell phones have become easily accesible to all, computers are as well, but not entirley, and not for every individual, especially adults. Children have more access because of schools and youth programs, but thier parents are the population being left out, and the people who need these government services. Government needs to build a bridge to them thorugh these technology centers, as they and the rest of the world ventures forth. Services are needed, but to be effctive in the delivery and to detail the accuracy of services needed the government departments and administartors need to hear from the people who need them. Ever increasing technology is lessing the impact, not necessarily improving it, at least for the people in need.

There could be a more collaborative assemblage of people tRying to improve lives. At this assemblage the populations in need would have an active and particIpatory voice. The technologies such as reputations systems, recommender systems, distributed moderation would be more relevant and useful. Particpants could communicate online and work thorugh a series of joint efforts to make impactful and important decisions. Virtual construction of positive outcomes would result in these technologies being great resources for all. There would be a more personal connection bvetween the adminstartion and customer,although virtually, and the decisons made would become valuable. In of itself tHis interacion could be a type of distributed moderation where ideas and thoughts are collectively shared and manipualted to produce information and choices that are needed. Recommeder sytems could be used to identify specific needs and to target possible outcomes desired. These tools would become effective in filtering ideas and information to reach goals and outcomes in these comunities.