Digital Capacity, Bureaucratic Representation, and 311 Service Delivery in NYC

• In Event: Technology in Government: Analyzing Digital Transformation and Governance Challenges

Abstract

Existing research on administrative literacy finds that public administrators tend to prioritize clients with a greater understanding of bureaucratic processes and communication skills, resulting in more favorable outcomes for those individuals (Döring & Jilke, 2023). However, as public service delivery becomes increasingly digital, little is known about how disparities in digital engagement capacity shape these outcomes. This study extends the concept of administrative literacy to digital contexts by examining whether citizens with higher digital engagement capacity – a multidimensional construct encompassing access to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), digital skills, and usage of ICTs – receive faster responses from public administration. It also tests whether bureaucratic representation moderates this relationship. Using 311 service request data from New York City (NYC), census data, and data on Public Computer Centers, the study constructs tract-level indicators of digital access, skills, and usage. Service responsiveness is measured as time to resolve a 311 request, while bureaucratic representation is derived from NYC’s workforce composition data. Employing multilevel and spatial regression models, the analysis accounts for spatial dependence and neighborhood clustering. In addition to theoretical contributions to the literature on digital government, administrative literacy, and representative bureaucracy, the findings offer actionable insights for local policymakers aiming to reduce digital and administrative disparities and promote more equitable service delivery.

Author

• Vishal Trehan, Rutgers University - Newark
  Presenting Author