ABSTRACT
I. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 238 II. The institutional context........................................................................................ 239
III. Data collection and analysis.................................................................................. 240 IV. Agency perspectives on the rulemaking process................................................. 240
A. Challenges....................................................................................................... 240 B. Shift to e-rulemaking ...................................................................................... 242 C. Better IT tools ................................................................................................. 242
V. Interest group perspectives on the rulemaking process...................................... 243 A. Challenges....................................................................................................... 243 B. Shift to e-rulemaking ...................................................................................... 244 C. Better IT tools ................................................................................................. 245
VI. Comparative analysis............................................................................................. 245 VII. Conclusions and some extensions........................................................................ 247
A. Innovation and diffusion................................................................................ 248 B. Democratic theory .......................................................................................... 249
References........................................................................................................................ 250
In the context of wider e-government assumptions, this chapter presents and assesses the debate about the future of e-rulemaking. We examine the impact of electronic enhancements to the collection and synthesis of public commentary. Focus group data are presented to highlight a number of competing values that are at stake as public managers implement e-government. We speculate about the next steps that might culminate in a public information system for e-rulemaking that
is technologically robust, applied in the most appropriate ways possible, and a genuine enhancement to both regulatory and democratic processes.
