ABSTRACT
The scope of means available within a deliberative democracy could include those that are supportive of more static, one-directional citizen input, such as suggestion boxes. In relation, the traditional suggestion box is a citizen participation means that may benefit from technology updates associated with modernization efforts prevalent in the E-Governance Era. It is important to develop an understanding of the expectations associated with who participates, possible motivations for participation and by which measures that participation is facilitated as it relates to suggestion box use in the E-Governance Era. A suggestion box can provide important insight from a range of different sources in the hopes of utilizing that feedback to improve the organization in some way. Opt (1998, p. 77) explained that “on an individual level, the box can provide a voice for subordinates or customers, and, on a collective level, it can provide feedback important for organizational survival.” Suggestion boxes serve as a communication device that can be used to generate information associated with consumer preferences and employee satisfaction (Guiniven, 2000). For Lloyd (1999), participation means such as suggestion boxes are representative of “upward problem-solving” mechanisms. Lloyd (1999, p. 873) suggested that the three most important reasons motivating participation through suggestion boxes are that individuals are “frustrated with work process and wanted to change it,” are seeking to “improve the success of the organization” and want to “save the organization some money.” Suggestion boxes also have the capacity to motivate participation due to the prospect that prizes can be provided to the individual whose suggestion is applied within the organization (“The Old Suggestion Box,” 2014). An individual’s decision to participate through suggestion boxes could be based on the desire to effect positive change to the organization for altruistic purposes or participation could be rooted in more self-serving reasons reflecting an agenda focused on personal gain. Regardless of the motivational force behind suggestion box participation, the main goal of this effort is focused on generating bottom-up feedback that is capable of identifying changes that may contribute to improving the organization. The suggestion box as a participatory tool within a deliberative framework is applicable to situations in which government seeks input 116through applying technological innovation to facilitate citizen-consumer feedback with the hopes of yielding organizational and system improvements.
