Deployment of Telework in European Public Administrations

Introduction
1
For a critical discussion see Preissl, Brigitte (1995), p. 3-6.
EU 15
1960
39.0
1974
48.0
1984
57.1
1990
61.2
1994
64.2

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changes in the traditional understanding of occupational status and the
continuity/discontinuity of professional careers;
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an erosion of traditional dichotomies such as work time and leisure time, and private and
public spheres;
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an individualisation of life-styles and a shift from classical forms of control and
subordination towards increased decentralisation, autonomy and self-responsibility in work
regimes.
Alongside the phenomena of high rates of unemployment, leisure orientation, unpaid and
voluntary work, telework seems to be one of the indicators of an end of the traditional ‘working
society’ as we approach the 21st century.
Publications and statistical data suggest that the deployment of telework in Europe lags behind the
USA. Nevertheless, we find the first European practitioners began in the early 1980s and
concentrated Community action on research, promotion and funding of telework dating back to
1989.
Despite these many activities which are documented and accompanied by conference papers and
publications, telework practice has been mainly observed in the private sector. With the exception
of a few outstanding cases, only marginal knowledge has been gathered from the public sector and
public administration in particular.
This report is based on a pan-European study undertaken in four and a half months between
December 1997 and April 1998 designed as an overview.
The objectives of the study were to:
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identify public administrations as telework practitioners on local, regional and national
levels in each of the 15 EU Member States and at EU institutional level;
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assess the teleworking administrations through a catalogue of criteria identifying risks and
benefits, hindering and supporting factors to serve as a guide for potential subscribers;
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provide a comparative overview on the state of the art.
The report is divided into four parts:
Part One gives a short introduction into theoretical considerations on the relationship of public
administrations, ICT and telework. It finishes with a description of the methodology used for our
study. In Part Two, selected case studies from all over Europe are presented in the framework of
the respective Member State's policy environment, offering a high diversity among the identified
cases and serving as vivid descriptions and illustrations for the overall findings as presented in
Part Three. Part Three contains a comparative analysis of the case studies and Part Four serves as
an annex for supporting documentation.