Public Administration in the Age of Globalization and Emerging Technologies : From Theories to Practice

If we imagine the proverb “if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain” as an equation with two variables, information and communication technologies (“ICT”) and public administration, it will not matter which place each one of them will take in the equation. In the present times of digital disruption, fourth industrial revolution, or even Harari's looming specter of the so-called dataism, they are compelled to meet at some point, even if they prefer to avoid the encounter. Public administration must adapt to the pulse of the time. Public administrations (and elected representatives) around the world are facing more and more challenges posed by artificial intelligence (“AI”), block-chain technologies, big data and algorithms, and cyber-security. Sometimes, these challenges threaten national security. Policymakers recognize the need to update policies and regulations to reflect the impact these new technologies have made in our society. From another perspective, however, these emerging technologies might be useful instruments for public administrators to improve efficiency, considering its services are ultimately beneficial for the general well-being. Ultimately, successful emerging technologies in the public administration space will be able to facilitate the interactions and business of citizens – living human beings, which have (so far at least) different needs than machines, algorithms, and other technological processes. This article sheds light and focuses on the interplay between public administration, block-chain technology, and citizens. We begin by broadly describing emerging technologies in the context of sustainable development. Consequently, we scrutinize the application of block-chain technology in the field of public administration, its potential to enhance citizens' trust in their government, and block-chain's potential to transform the relationship between public administration and citizens. The article follows a recommendation given by scholars doing research on the block-chain technology, who identified the lack of research on the potential of block-chain “to address societal needs.” Considering the field of ICT is inherently international, and their pervasiveness can be seen as a symptom of border-less globalization, excessive liberalism, and lack of global governance, the paper will make use of relevant examples from a variety of countries irrespective of their regional location