University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Targeted policy making by

transforming social networks

Efthimios Tambouris, Applied Informatics Dpt.

University of Macedonia,

Thessaloniki, Greece

tambouris@uom.gr

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Contents

Rationale

Study Objectives

Introducing targeted policy making

Targeted policy making lifecycle

Towards a supporting platform

Usage scenario

Conclusion and future work

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Background

Government are pushed to provide more with less resources

Solution: develop more targeted policies, i.e. policies that reach and

affect the target population in a cost-effective and efficient manner

Social networks have tremendous effects in our everyday life (e.g.

obesity, smoking, financial condition etc.)

Online social networks (fb, twitter etc.) enjoy tremendous growth

But how can online social networks be exploited in policy making?

A number of research projects are trying to understand how social

networks can be used in policy making

Current research concentrates on using social media for improving the

dialogue between government/political system and citizens and to

understand citizen behavior

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Rationale

A more radical suggestion has been made:

to reduce social inequalities we should also

consider the personal connections of those we

wish to assist

Example: we could reduce crime by improving

the connections of potential criminals1

If this is true, how online social networks can be

exploited in actual policy making?

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1Christakis N. A. and Fowler J.: Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How

They Shape Our Lives, New York: Little, Brown and Company, (2009).

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Contents

Rationale

Study Objectives

Introducing targeted policy making

Targeted policy making lifecycle

Towards a supporting platform

Usage scenario

Conclusion and future work

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Objectives

1. to introduce an approach that enables exploiting online social

networks in order to improve targeted policy making

2. to present a high-level (technological) view of this approach,

including

1. how it fits a traditional policy making lifecycle,

2. relevant high-level requirements and architecture, and

3. a usage scenario.

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Contents

Rationale

Study Objectives

Introducing targeted policy making

Targeted policy making lifecycle

Towards a supporting platform

Usage scenario

Conclusion and future work

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Transform (instead of just use) SN

How about trying to transform online social networks as part of a

policy?

E.g. in an entrepreneurship policy, what if we try to connect new

entrepreneurs with networks of venture capitals, successful

entrepreneurs etc.?

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Policy Social Networks

Policy Social Networks (PSN) refer to social networks where nodes

and links are important to a particular policy.

Policies should not only try to understand and exploit but also

transform online policy social networks

– Hopefully by doing so, policies will achieve their goals in a more efficient

and effective manner.

If our hypothesis is true then e.g. an entrepreneurship policy that

changes the structure of the relevant policy social network will be more

efficient than a traditional policy. In other words, policies enabling to

improve the connections of potential entrepreneurs will be more

successful.

Thus, the main assumption behind this paper is that “targeted policies

that involve understanding, exploiting and transforming online policy

social networks are potentially more efficient and effective than those

that do not do so”.

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Transforming (improving) a social network

Nodes might be entrepreneurs, venture capitals, etc.

Links might just represent knowing each other

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Contents

Rationale

Study Objectives

Introducing targeted policy making

Targeted policy making lifecycle

Towards a supporting platform

Usage scenario

Conclusion and future work

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Traditional policy making lifecycle

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Targeted policy making lifecycle

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Contents

Rationale

Study Objectives

Introducing targeted policy making

Targeted policy making lifecycle

Towards a supporting platform

Usage scenario

Conclusion and future work

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

High-level requirements

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

High-level architecture

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Contents

Rationale

Study Objectives

Introducing targeted policy making

Targeted policy making lifecycle

Towards a supporting platform

Usage scenario

Conclusion and future work

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Mockup dashboard

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Contents

Rationale

Study Objectives

Introducing targeted policy making

Targeted policy making lifecycle

Towards a supporting platform

Usage scenario

Conclusion and future work

University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Conclusions

Targeted policy involves transforming online social networks to have

desirable connectivity properties

Targeted policy can potentially be more efficient and cost-effective

when added to “traditional” policies (but this has to be proven)

Considerations:

– Ethical/legal issues:

– Do we want policies to change online social networks?

– Privacy/data protection issues

– Socio-technical issues:

– What happens with those without an online SN presence?

– Is this technologically feasible?

– How can policy makers be persuaded to use this approach?

– Possibility of fraud (e.g. showing a false poor online connectivity in order to

further improve your, probably very good, connectivity)

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University of Macedonia, Greece

ePart 2013 © Ε. Tambouris

Thank you for your attention!!

Efthimios Tambouris

tambouris@uom.gr