GIS departments as potential promoters of big data driven innovation in policymaking: A case study of a GIS department of a regional governmental organisation in the Netherlands

Abstract

Driven by the fact that governments are falling behind in terms of big data use compared to the private sector – despite the great potential it holds for them, this study set out to explore whether GIS departments of governmental organisations are capable of promoting the adoption of big data driven innovations into the policymaking process. On the basis of literature derived from a variety of disciplines, four roles are proposed that GIS departments likely could fulfil within an organisation to foster the adoption process: an encouraging role, a supporting role, a directing role and a developing role. Drawing on a case study of a GIS department of a regional governmental organisation in the Netherlands, the study shows that GIS departments which form part of an enterprise GIS organisational structure, in their current state, are capable of successfully fulfilling two of the four roles proposed: the encouraging role and the supporting role. However, the study also shows that GIS departments are likely to still face several challenges before their promoting efforts will actually result in successful adoption of big data driven innovations in policymaking, such as gaining support from the top-management, creating a data culture within the governmental organisation, becoming more integrated into the policymaking processes, and acquiring more big data experience and expertise. To help them overcome these challenges, four suggestions are provided.