Local Governments in the Digital Era

Accountability is essential for good governance, so it is important to provide means and measures needed to enable citizens to assess the legal and managerial responsibility of governments, especially at the local level, since it is the closest to citizens. This publication is especially focused on transparency as a way to achieve more accountable governments. The availability of reliable and timely information about public policies and governmental actions to citizens is essential to avoid dishonest behavior and fraudulent use of public resources by governments, which have led to corruption scandals in recent years. This book highlights the role of digital technologies to improve responsibility and awareness of governments at the local level. The use of the internet and social media may facilitate the citizens participation in local governments, as it may be considered as a way to improve transparency and reduce politicians discretionary. Digital technologies play a fundamental role in promoting electronic government or e-government, which is extensively implemented around the world. In addition, this book refers to reforms on how financial resources are managed by public organisations, and how changes affect accounting, budgeting, structural organisation, management systems, and/or law systems that may lead local governments to be more accountable and responsible.