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Supporting Public Welfare Digitalization: A Supplier Perspective

Per Steiner

Information Polity2026https://doi.org/10.1177/15701255261417507article
ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Local governments responsible for welfare provision regularly outsource information and communication technology (ICT) development and services. Despite the reliance on private-sector ICT firms, little attention has been paid to the capabilities of these firms and their perspective on public-sector digitalization. This paper addresses this research gap by examining how ICT-supplier firms view 1) what constitutes their most important capabilities in the context of public-welfare digitalization and 2) what factors influence their creation and character. The study employs an interpretative research design, using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. The results indicate that ICT suppliers rely on higher-order relational capabilities to enable them to deploy value-adding capabilities. Additionally, the results show that inadequate municipal ICT governance, public-sector coordination, and insufficient procurement practices cause systemic uncertainty, which ICT suppliers are required to manage.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/15701255261417507

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@article{per2026,
  title        = {{Supporting Public Welfare Digitalization: A Supplier Perspective}},
  author       = {Per Steiner},
  journal      = {Information Polity},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/15701255261417507},
}

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Supporting Public Welfare Digitalization: A Supplier Perspective

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.