E-Municipality and Public Relations in Digitalized Cities: An Interpretive Content Analysis on TR42 Region Municipalities

Year 2024, Issue: 16, 19 - 37, 29.06.2024

Hasan Tutar , İlayda Uzun

https://doi.org/10.55609/yenimedya.1366360

Abstract

In an age where the understanding of non-urbanization has moved to the digital level, the need to benefit from digital tools for effective governance in municipalities brings the phenomenon of e-municipality to the agenda. The primary purpose of this research is to investigate the multifaceted interaction between e-municipality and Public Relations in digitalizing cities and examine how technology-oriented urban governance shapes public relations dynamics. The sample of this study, designed with the hermeneutic content analysis method, consists of Bolu, Düzce, Sakarya, Kocaeli, and Yalova, which are classified as the TR42 region. The websites of the municipalities in question in the research were analyzed with interpretive content analysis techniques regarding Security/Privacy, Citizen and Social Interaction, and operational-formal informational and Strategic Skill variables and various suggestions were made. Research results show that e-municipality redefines traditional public relations concepts in digitalizing cities. Findings show that e-municipality offers essential opportunities to facilitate access to information, strengthening local democracy, enabling citizens' participation in decision-making processes, transparency, and accountability. E-municipality platforms are a powerful public relations tool in that they provide essential opportunities for citizen-municipality interaction and encourage community participation. Integrating e-municipality and public relations in digitalizing cities points to a transformative change in urban governance. In this process, effective public relations strategies emphasize communication and active citizen participation, increasing the importance of adapting to this dynamic environment. From this point of view, the volume of policymakers and local governments to take measures to eliminate digital literacy inequalities increases.

Keywords

e-government, e-municipality, public relations, digital governance, e-service.

Dijitalleşen Kentlerde e-Belediyecilik ve Halkla İlişkiler: TR42 Bölgesi Belediyeleri Üzerine Yorumlayıcı Bir İçerik Analizi

Abstract

Kentleşmeme anlayışının dijital düzleme taşındığı bir çağda, belediyelerde etkin yönetişim için dijital araçlardan yararlanma ihtiyacı e-belediyecilik olgusunu gündeme getirmektedir. Bu araştırmanın temel amacı, dijitalleşen kentlerde e-Belediye ve Halkla İlişkiler arasındaki çok yönlü etkileşimi araştırmak ve teknoloji odaklı kentsel yönetişimin halkla ilişkiler dinamiklerini nasıl şekillendirdiğini incelemektedir. Yorumsamacı içerik analizi yöntemi ile kurgulanan bu çalışmanın örneklemini, TR42 bölgesi olarak sınıflandırılan Bolu, Düzce, Sakarya, Kocaeli ve Yalova oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada söz konusu belediyelerin web siteleri; Güvenlik/Gizlilik, Yurttaş ve Sosyal Etkileşim ile Operasyonel-Formal-Enformasyonel ve Stratejik Beceri değişkenleri açısından yorumlayıcı içerik analizi tekniği ile analiz edilerek çeşitli önerilerde bulunulmuştur. Araştırma sonuçları, e-Belediyenin dijitalleşen şehirlerde geleneksel halkla ilişkiler kavramlarını yeniden tanımladığını göstermektedir. Bulgular, bilgiye erişimi kolaylaştırmak, yerel demokrasiyi güçlendirmek, vatandaşların karar alma süreçlerine katılımını mümkün kılmak, şeffaflık ve hesap verebilirlik bakımından e-belediyecilik önemli fırsatlar sunmaktadır. E-Belediyecilik platformları, vatandaş-belediye etkileşimi için önemli fırsatlar sunduğu ve topluluk katılımı duygusunu teşvik etmesi bakımından güçlü bir halkla ilişkiler aracı olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Dijitalleşen şehirlerde e-Belediyecilik ve halkla ilişkilerin entegrasyonu, kentsel yönetişimde dönüştürücü bir değişime işaret etmektedir. Bu süreçte etkili halkla ilişkiler stratejileri, yalnızca iletişimi değil, aynı zamanda aktif vatandaş katılımını da vurgulayarak bu dinamik ortama uyum sağlamanın önemi artmaktadır. Buradan hareketle politika yapıcıların ve yerel yönetimlerin dijital okuryazarlık eşitsizliklerini ortadan kaldırmaya yönelik tedbirler almalarının önemi artmaktadır.

Keywords

e-Devlet, e-belediye, halkla ilişkiler, dijital yönetişim, e-hizmet.

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