Strategic Decision Support Systems for Local Government: A Performance Management Issue? The Use of Information Systems on the Decision-making and Performance Management of Local Government

This paper aims to lay the grounds of a framework for further research on Decision Support Systems (DSS) in French local government organizations. A survey conducted in 2008 with 225 CIOs and executives in collaboration with the French Association of Management Control in French local government (AFIGESE) is used to analyze the maturity of implementation of these systems in French sub-national communities (cities and regions). Results show their importance for local public managers on decision making, performance, and management control. A literature review of the decision making process in the public sector and a theoretical framework on the design science of information systems is hence developed to provide the basis of a research program dedicated to the conception of DSS as IT artifacts for local governments.