Description (short summary):
This study found internet-enabled public deliberation having a direct impact on top-level decisions and it identified institutional mechanisms by which this occurs. Most government initiatives aimed at promoting online deliberation all short of expectations. The participatory governance model developed in the current study presents design and process parameters along which more interactive and engaging online experiences can be modeled. The applicability of the propositions is demonstrated by systematically collecting online data and analyzing public deliberation during the evolution of Java governance. Self-selection of participants and opposing views, mutual adjustment, and high influence combined with incremental decision-making were shown to be critical for institutionalizing a broadly supported governance approach.

In order to understand better how the co-evolution of Internet and democracy can be improved, the present study investigates the following research questions: (1) does Internet-enabled public deliberation have an impact on top-level decision-making and (2) are there discernible patterns or mechanisms by which public deliberation is incorporated into top-level decision-making?

The study developed and tested a novel ICT-driven methodology for identifying and tracing processes of public opinion-forming and mobilization on the internet. Deliberation occurred in the natural environment of participants. It demonstrates how processes of opinion-forming and mobilization on the Internet were incidental with changes to the Java governance approach. The methodological approach used a combination of quantitative and qualitative coding techniques to systematically identify and analyze relevant sources on the internet.

Number of pages: 14