Browsing by Author "Sáez-Vergara, Rocío"

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    The Missing Link: Identifying Digital Intermediaries in E-Government
    (2024) Toro-Maureira, Sergio; Olivares, Alejandro; Sáez-Vergara, Rocío; Valenzuela Leighton, Sebastián Andrés; Valenzuela, Macarena; Correa, Teresa
    The digitalization of public administration has advanced significantly on a global scale. Many governments now view digital platforms as essential for improving the delivery of public services and fostering direct communication between citizens and public institutions. However, this view overlooks the role played by ‘digital intermediaries’—agents who, while not formally part of the government, significantly shape the provision of e-government services. Using Chile as a case study, we analyze these intermediaries through a national survey on digitalization. We find five types of intermediaries: family members, peers, political figures, bureaucrats, and community leaders. The first two classes comprise ‘close’ intermediaries, while the latter three comprise ‘hierarchical’ intermediaries. Our findings suggest that all these intermediaries are a critical but underexplored element in the digitalization of public administration.