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Abstract

Information systems now run to the heart of the tools of government, with recent technological innovations opening up new possibilities for policy innovation. As government agencies work to narrow the gap between what is technically possible and what is realistically achievable, the history of government computing will constrain and direct the future of the automated state. Innova tions rely on the integration of existing information systems or the addition of new technologies to the technological infrastructure developed over the last 40 years. And control over these innovations will be shaped by the UK government's decision to withdraw from information technology development. The radical outsourcing of government information technology has drawn huge global companies into policy design and development. The core task of the automated state will be to retain information technology as a strategic asset and to control these new players in policy relevant decision making.

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The Automated State

Abstract

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