Local governments as service ecosystems: technology for accountability during the pandemic

The paper employs the Service Ecosystem Perspective (SEP) as a scientific framework to investigate the relationships between technology and Local Governments (LGs) accountability at the time of Covid-19 pandemic. A qualitative content analysis is carried out by focusing on in-depth interviews administered to 82 key LG actors, ranging from policymakers to technology general directors of companies. The analysis highlights the critical role of technology in fostering compliance programs and LGs accountability and in improving government performances. However, technology does not emerge as a "silver bullet” since its implementation requires to be reconfigured. In this sense, the results allow formulating recommendations to address LGs accountability and the role of technology in extraordinary times: i) paying attention to the emotional component of LGs accountability; ii) investing in digital education; iii) spreading a result-oriented culture as a technology-based mindset; and iv) stimulating institutional coordination at different government (micro, meso, and macro) levels. The work investigates the relationships between technology and LGs accountability at the time of Covid-19 pandemic by employing the Service Ecosystem Perspective (SEP) to provide scholars and practitioners with useful recommendations understood as warnings to avoid being caught unprepared in possible new emergency periods.