Digital Transformation in Turkish Public Administration

The new concepts and developments are being discussed in the area of public administration, such as “open government,” “artificial intelligence” (AI), “internet of things” (IoT), “big data,” “blockchain,” “algorithmic decision making,” “machine learning,” “autonomous vehicles,” “cyber security,” and “smart city.”

They are;
In the First Industrial Revolution period (1784-1869), water- and steam-powered mechanical systems emerged.

In the Second Industrial Revolution period (1870-1969), electricity was discovered, and the division of labor and mass production phenomena emerged.
In the Third Industrial Revolution period (1970-2010), automation systems and information technologies were developed.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution period (2011-Today) is also known as “Industry 4.0” and “digitalization”. With the advanced development of information and communication (ICT) technologies, new applications like e-government, digital public services, cyber systems, AI-based services, autonomous systems, and machine learning emerged.

Today, global economies and financial systems are integrated through new developments such as the use of the internet, e-commerce, advanced means of transportation, global financial systems, and new production machines and techniques (Industry 4.0).

Modern public administration is aware of the risks and advantages of technology. Therefore, governments not only advance digital public services (7/24) for their citizens through e-government portals but also create new security system (e.g., cybersecurity) to protect public and private data against cyber attacks that come from individuals and other states from all over the world.

Citizens, especially in authoritarian countries, put pressure on governments for more democratic regimes. These citizens share their opinions and organize public events like workshops, protests, or conferences through social media and other online platforms.

Since the development and centralization process of the nation-state after the Peace of Westphalia (1648), the public sector, which is one of the oldest sectors in the world, has been questioned in terms of its effectiveness and efficiency. For this reason, the traditional public administration approach, which is generally based on Weber’s ideal bureaucracy model, has been questioned in tems of theory and practice after the 1980s, and it has begun to transform with the effects of new approaches like new public management and good governance  and new communication and transportation technologies.

There are a "Technocities", similar to Silicon Valley, aiming to strengthen cooperation between government, universities, and the industry regarding Research and Development (R&D).

With the emergence of new technologies like AI-based systems, big data, smart applications, e-Services, and IoT in public services and public policies, it has become imperative for public officials to keep up with the advancements in the digital world. In this context, it is essential to implement public policies such as sharing data belonging to public institutions and organizations, integrating data centers, increasing reliable statistical results by data analysis, and creating big data applications.

Governments can benefit from AI-based systems in public services to assess smarter policy-making, redesign service delivery, and create more efficient operations.

While some people consider technological advancements as a great opportunity for humanity, others argue that they are a threat to humanity. With new technologies, there are also concerns such as increasing unemployment, especially since fewer workers are required in the production area, tracking individuals even in daily life and manipulating these individuals by creating new needs. However, the potential risks related to AI are much greater because using this technology can create problems such as new cybercrimes, political crises, and autonomous weapons.

The lack of qualified people to work in the field of advanced technologies and to develop effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable technological applications.

Open government refers to the size, transparency, and accessibility of information that is published by governments for the citizens

Internet, which provides two-sided relationships and interaction between citizens and governments necessitates a trustable, secure, accountable, and transparent government that is open to collaboration with its citizens.

Open Data Ecosystem refers to networks, interaction, and interdependence between a variety of state and non-state actors to create better public goods and services based on new developments such as open data, e-participation, data analysis, and the Internet.

In 2016, Turkish Law on the Protection of Personal Data (No.6698) regulated the right to privacy by determining binding obligations, principles, and procedures for public and private people who process personal data.

Volume mainly refers to large amounts of electronic data that are stored by modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tools, from personal computers and smartphones to public records of the governments.

Türkiye National Information Infrastructure Plan (TUENA): It is the first technological plan that was implemented in 1999 regarding big data.

Cybersecurity can shortly be defined as the ability to protect or defend the use of

cyberspace from cyberattacks.