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Electronic information systems as means for accountability : why there is no such thing as objectivity

Jochen Devlieghere (UGent) , Lieve Bradt (UGent) and Rudi Roose (UGent)
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Abstract
The public sector has been confronted with a mounting claim for accountability. While there are many ways to meet this demand, social work increasingly relies on electronic information systems (IS). Although it has been argued that IS assists services in demonstrating accountability, research sheds light on the pernicious effects of IS as well. For this reason, we interviewed 29 local managers to capture their perspective on the role of IS in creating accountability as they are held responsible for informing stakeholders about the decisions that are made. Our findings indicate a positive acceptance of the use of IS to create accountability as local managers referred to the ability of IS to stimulate critical reflection amongst their team members. However, many managers also developed a critical perspective, raising concerns about how the current demand for accountability was fully encapsulated in the logic of the database. They therefore pleaded for a reflexive approach to accountability. We conclude that local managers can be considered companions rather than opponents of practitioners in the search for this reflexive form of accountability in which the justification of their actions may lie not in so-called rational data produced by IS but in the dialogue with all stakeholders.
Keywords
Child welfare, accountability, information systems

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MLA
Devlieghere, Jochen, et al. “Electronic Information Systems as Means for Accountability : Why There Is No Such Thing as Objectivity.” EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, vol. 24, no. 2, 2021, pp. 212–23, doi:10.1080/13691457.2019.1585335.
APA
Devlieghere, J., Bradt, L., & Roose, R. (2021). Electronic information systems as means for accountability : why there is no such thing as objectivity. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, 24(2), 212–223. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2019.1585335
Chicago author-date
Devlieghere, Jochen, Lieve Bradt, and Rudi Roose. 2021. “Electronic Information Systems as Means for Accountability : Why There Is No Such Thing as Objectivity.” EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK 24 (2): 212–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2019.1585335.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Devlieghere, Jochen, Lieve Bradt, and Rudi Roose. 2021. “Electronic Information Systems as Means for Accountability : Why There Is No Such Thing as Objectivity.” EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK 24 (2): 212–223. doi:10.1080/13691457.2019.1585335.
Vancouver
1.
Devlieghere J, Bradt L, Roose R. Electronic information systems as means for accountability : why there is no such thing as objectivity. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK. 2021;24(2):212–23.
IEEE
[1]
J. Devlieghere, L. Bradt, and R. Roose, “Electronic information systems as means for accountability : why there is no such thing as objectivity,” EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 212–223, 2021.
@article{8614396,
  abstract     = {{The public sector has been confronted with a mounting claim for accountability. While there are many ways to meet this demand, social work increasingly relies on electronic information systems (IS). Although it has been argued that IS assists services in demonstrating accountability, research sheds light on the pernicious effects of IS as well. For this reason, we interviewed 29 local managers to capture their perspective on the role of IS in creating accountability as they are held responsible for informing stakeholders about the decisions that are made. Our findings indicate a positive acceptance of the use of IS to create accountability as local managers referred to the ability of IS to stimulate critical reflection amongst their team members. However, many managers also developed a critical perspective, raising concerns about how the current demand for accountability was fully encapsulated in the logic of the database. They therefore pleaded for a reflexive approach to accountability. We conclude that local managers can be considered companions rather than opponents of practitioners in the search for this reflexive form of accountability in which the justification of their actions may lie not in so-called rational data produced by IS but in the dialogue with all stakeholders.}},
  author       = {{Devlieghere, Jochen and Bradt, Lieve and Roose, Rudi}},
  issn         = {{1369-1457}},
  journal      = {{EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK}},
  keywords     = {{Child welfare,accountability,information systems}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{212--223}},
  title        = {{Electronic information systems as means for accountability : why there is no such thing as objectivity}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2019.1585335}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}

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