How to Master the “E”: Tools for Competence Identification, Provision and Preservation in a Digitalized Public Sector

The digitalization of every aspect of life is in full swing and becoming an all-embracing societal phenomenon. Public administrations worldwide, eager to increase their efficiency and effectiveness, are in a change process, induced by the pervasiveness of technological advancements. This development does not only mean the substitution of analogue processes by the integration of information technologies, but first and foremost leads to changing demands on the tasks, roles and competences of the ones, who need to implement those changes, i.e. the public servants. This study therefore explores relevant roles and respective competences with regard to IT in public administrations and offers tools for their successful preservation to master this e-induced change: Based on a literature review, document analyses and expert workshops, 19 reference roles in public administrations are identified that are important for the implementation of eGovernment. In addition, we develop role fact sheets and competence matrices as possible means for the identification and documentation, which in turn can be supportive of a possible future competence preservation.