Information sharing in government: How public organizations can use technological and communication advancements to protect citizens

Abstract

This paper examines how governments can maximize their communication outreach to offer the most protective layers to citizens in a crisis. Utilizing available literature and data on existing government communication methods and citizen participation, this paper investigates the relationship between government communication and informed citizens. The research uncovered a weak correlation between citizen participation and the strength of an e-government. Additionally, an increase was found between traffic to e-government models such as websites and social media during times of crisis. The results of the research determined there was significant importance in developing these communication systems to be accessible in a crisis, despite general low citizen engagement. This research presented an innovative approach to the collection of data on government communication development and citizen outreach in a crisis, bringing the two subjects together into one framework. Future research could be conducted to study the application of crisis information by citizens when access barriers are removed. Practical implications. This paper provides governments with a clearer understanding of how to protect the maximum number of citizens in a crisis with strong communication systems. With this knowledge, governments can further investigate this research to determine the best communication methods to protect citizens in a crisis. This research posits a theory of connection between government communications, and the number of crises informed citizens.