Virtually competent? Competence and experience with Internet-based technologies among European parliamentarians

Bibliographic Data

ID7990680
AuthorsBeate Elvebakk (University of Oslo, corresponding author)
Year2004
Volume9
Issue1,2
Pages41-53
Publication date2004-10-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInformation Polity (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1875-8754 • E-ISSN: 1570-1255
PublisherIOS Press (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.3233/ip-2004-0043
OpenAlexW399365064
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited2

This article tries to determine the levels of experience and competence with the Internet among MPs in seven European countries, and to provide explanations for the differences found. The main objective of the article is to see whether the kinds of experience and skills that the MPs possess serve as a basis for important structural changes in the European democracies. Unsurprisingly, the survey shows that MPs in Northern Europe tend to use the Internet more than their colleagues in the South. The MPs also mostly use the Internet as replacement for other technologies, such as telephones and fax-machines, but a more innovative pattern of use may be found among Scottish and Danish MPs. The MPs are generally self-taught when it comes to Internet skills, and their competence is therefore linked to personal interest and previous careers rather than to such factors as political allegiance. Most of them see their competence as being satisfactory, although not outstanding. The article also discusses possible implications of electronic competence or lack thereof for the future of representative democracies

Business · Competence (human resources · Internet privacy · Political science · Public relations · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · E-Government and Public Services · ICT Impact and Policies · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology

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