Getting Rid of It: An Unlearning Perspective on Digital Government Competences

Koddebusch, Michael; Distel, Bettina; Di Maria, Marco; Brützke, Paul; Becker, Jörg


Abstract

Digital Government Competences are vital for digital transformation in public administration. However, research has mostly focused on the acquisition of new competences, neglecting prevailing ones that contradict transformation efforts. We address this shortcoming by adopting an unlearning perspective, which depicts the process of discarding obsolete competences that hinder rather than foster change. Consequently, we present the results of a focus group study with 34 public servants and subsequent in-depth qualitative analysis. We apply the lens of an established competence framework that defines competence dimensions as individual and organizational as well as visible (observable behavior) and hidden (cognitive mechanisms). The results identify both individual and organizational competences in 24 categories that must be unlearned to unlock the potential of digital transformation in public administration without legacy burdens. We contribute to digital government research by complementing the competence discourse with an unlearning perspective and offer practitioners a new angle on continuous education.

Keywords
Competences; Digital Government; Digital Transformation; Focus Groups; Unlearning



Publication type
Research article in proceedings (conference)

Peer reviewed
Yes

Publication status
Published

Year
2024

Conference
16th IFIP WG 8.5 International Conference on Electronic Participation

Venue
Ghent

Book title
Electronic Participation: 16th IFIP WG 8.5 International Conference, ePart 2024, Ghent, Belgium, September 3–5, 2024, Proceedings

Editor
Rohde Johannessen, Marius; Csáki, Csaba; Daneels, Lieselot; Hofmann, Sara; Lampoltshammer, Thomas; Parycek, Peter; Schwabe, Gerhard; Tambouris, Efthimios; Ubacht, Jolien

Start page
47

End page
63

Volume
14891

Title of series
Lecture Notes in Computer Science

Publisher
Springer

Place
Cham

Language
English

ISSN
0302-9743

ISBN
978-3-031-70803-9

DOI