new technology in the human services

Lai O K (1999), Re-inventing the governance structure for better health and welfare: towards a teledemocracy enhanced participatory regime in the next millennium New Technology in the Human Services 12 (3 & 4), pp. 95-107


Abstract This paper examines contradictions embedded in, and the prospects of, the information society, particularly on the project for better public health and social welfare. Given the further demise of the welfare state under the pro-market reforms, our question is: enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), how should the public governance structure be reinvented for better health and welfare? Highlighting the potential differential impacts of the tele-democracy on the key social agencies and the redistributive policy outcomes, this paper analyses the mainstream development of the production and supply-side bias ICT utilisation. It argues that for the health and welfare project, political and administrative institutions and actors, citizens at large should develop the communicative will for social learning in tele-democracy (integrated, multi-modal, on-line and real time ICT global/local networking). Part 1 addresses the problems reinforced by the last two decades of reform of the welfare states: social inequality and the inadequacy of public governance over health and welfare issues. Part 2 provides a detailed elaboration of the emerging public governance structure articulated in health and welfare reform: the supply-side/bias ICT utilisation in the reform is examined . Part 3 provides a comparative perspective on the issues and prospects of this ‘reinventing’ project. The last part delineates an alternative reform agenda to facilitate the advocacy and social learning processes, juxtaposing the tele-democratic praxis, towards the better health and welfare in the 21st century.

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