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ETIMISOARA, DIALOG AND COLLABORATION APPLICATION, IMPLEMENTED FOR IDENTIFYING AND SATISFYING URBAN COSTUMER NEEDS –TIMISOARA, ROMANIA
Abstract
The need for the local government authorities' attitude shift from administration towards management through a more entrepreneurial behaviour is the subject of many academic and professional research studies. However, the means of achieving this objective and connecting to their †urban customers' have not been fully discussed. Local governments worldwide have increasingly become closed bureaucratic institutions, loosing track of their objectives - fulfilling the needs of the people - and have developed a view of public services provision centred on administrative fulfilment. Considering the city as a producer of urban goods and a product itself, the importance of identifying and meeting its urban customer's needs is crucial for its sustainable development and quality of life, as citizens represent an untapped resource as both experts in interconnected related fields – economists, sociologists, architects, etc. – and as a source of local knowledge. ICT enabled participation, though highly debated for both its obvious advantages - overcoming physical and time related constraints and facilitating access in higher numbers, and possible risks - knowhow and accessibility not being equally distributed within society considering differences in age, class, gender and education level, is the obvious and viable solution for creating a dialog tool between the local authorities and urban costumers. The aim of this study is to present an implemented strategy and application for public participation developed in collaboration with Timisoara City Hall. Based on partnerships and coalitions, in a context of an increased blurring of the boundaries between and within public, private and non-profit sectors the goal is an open, transparent and collaborative environment of sustainable development. The particular character of Romania's history with participation is taken into consideration when investigating the citizen's interest and willingness to participate and designing the application. The study's findings are illustrated through the results obtain from the yearlong implementation of the created application engaging the urban clients both in problem identification and proposal generation, establishing then as actual partners in the decision making process and public investment supervision.
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