The value of ICT applications: linking performance, accountability and transparency in public administrations

Beginning in 2009, the Italian legislation proposed a convergent action of “programming” “evaluation” and “transparency” to be applied to the administrative
processes. Within this framework, the ICT emerges as a key element in order to put the Reform into practice supporting administrations both in measuring and
evaluating performance, and in increasing transparency and accountability. In order
to understand the expected effects of ICT use on these relevant aspects of the
administrative activities and, more in general, to give an interpretation of the role of the ICT in the reform process, the paper presents the results of a content analysis of 198 documents produced by public organizations for whom the Reform was of immediate application.