ABSTRACT
For the past few years, there has been more public discussion about the use of “big data” analytics in policymaking and management. Some observers are positive, looking at the possibility of more evidence-based policymaking and “smarter” governing to deliver what citizens want (Goldsmith and Crawford 2014; O’Malley 2014; Yin et al. 2015). Others, however, are more reserved about the promise of big data and the potential harm it may cause to privacy and the protection of individual rights, especially after the revelation by Edward Snowden about how different governments in the world are using big data tools to monitor citizens and their communication. The potential and the challenges of big data should not be ignored by researchers and practitioners of public management, because these tools may not only impact the cost efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery, but also fundamental governance issues, such as the government–citizen relationship, the upholding of public service values, and the roles of the government in a world of rapidly changing technology.
