Public Administration

This article looks at the intersection of the two paradigm shifts of the information revolution and reinventing government (REGO) by examining the role of information technology (IT) in the REGO movement. The authors question three implicit assumptions made by REGO adherents about the role of IT in REGO: that IT is necessary for REGO to take place, that the actual adoption and increased use of IT is an indicator of the success of REGO, and that the adoption of IT is something that is both self-evident and simple. After reviewing the recent record of federal program’s adoption and use of IT, we find some empirical support for the first assumption but find the second and third to be particularly problematic. The authors conclude that REGO is a process rather than an outcomeŠmuch like the adoption of IT in government. By refocusing attention on both of these as processes rather than outcomes, the important and essential role of IT in REGO is more carefully identified.