Ingrid Pappel
Associate Professor
TALTECH
Estonia
linkedin.com/in/ingridpappel
Ralf-Martin Soe
Assistant Professor
TALTECH
Estonia
linkedin.com/in/ralf-martin-soe-1a7ba829
As Global Digital Governance Fellows, our goal has been to map digital government and smart city research and innovation activities in Stanford and in Silicon Valley.
First of all, Silicon Valley seems to be more flexible when using the hype concepts like smart city. Dependent on the context, various researchers can self-identify themselves as working with the smart city movement, from geophysics application of fiber optic cables to civil engineering design of smart bathrooms. In Stanford, this is also supported with multiple affiliations – most active persons tend to have multiple affiliations (e.g. professor in one school, senior fellow in another one etc), which is less common in Europe. However, the actual challenges are relatively similar, at least in the context of the smart city movement – sustainable mobility, decarbonization, working with data, sensing, and shifting the focus onto engagement with citizens. Geographically, Stanford has some smart city-related test sites and collaboration projects in Korea and Israel but not as many in Europe. Initiating and financing joint US-Europe research and innovation projects, especially from a bottom-up logic, is challenging. European partners usually team up for joint projects using EU funding, which typically does not finance partners in the US. US research and innovation funding appear more dependent on private funding, with state funding being less secure compared to Europe.
Besides the smart city concept, it is valuable to draw from Estonia's global renown for achieving 100% digital public services. While scholars and public officials are familiar with this, the general public may not fully grasp the context, although they recognize Estonia's high level of digitalization. The country has successfully implemented a comprehensive system where citizens interact with the government through digital platforms, leveraging digital identity and signatures. This streamlined approach has not only made government services more efficient but has also fostered a high level of trust between Estonian citizens and their government. This is a significant question in California – how do you build such a high level of trust? Ordinary people, such as Uber drivers, often ask about the potential risks of government surveillance, expressing concerns about data ownership and privacy.
The Estonian model, with its emphasis on transparency, security, and accessibility, has set a notable standard in the realm of digital government. As a researcher, the question arises: could a similar concept be applicable in California, and what steps can be taken to propel American governments into the digital era? Exploring avenues for digital transformation, promoting interdisciplinary collaborations, and investing in the necessary technological infrastructure could be pivotal in fostering a more seamless, efficient, and citizen-centric approach to public services in America. However, without more in-depth study or data, it is challenging to understand how small countries' achievements, like Estonia's, are perceived or recognized in Silicon Valley. Our own experience is that everybody working with digitalization tends to have heard about Estonia as a flagship country in this domain. However, for ordinary people outside, a country like Estonia tends to have a neutral reputation. This is understandable, considering the distance – being in California is far away in different climates, time zones, and with a more global focus.
In Stanford, we had the opportunity to debate with Jennifer Pahlka, who wrote "ReCoding America – Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better." Many problems discussed are quite similar: how to modernize constantly healthcare and employment services as a crucial life event service domain, and how to avoid legacy systems in these areas. Additionally, the debate focused on bringing policymakers and technologists closer, keeping laws updated and dynamic, and maintaining digital literacy among government workers and leadership. This is something which is common everywhere.
However, Estonia's small size allows it to be quite agile in its digital developments and scalable across all government units, which is not the case in the American context. Assumingly, there's a power struggle involving competing interests and creative workarounds to address matters concerning different public services, and considering the size and volume of its citizens and government functions, it's not as easy to develop systems meeting everybody's needs while avoiding extra layers that could complicate government processes in the digital realm. On a smaller scale, co-creation of services is more achievable compared to a larger volume.
In addition to conceptual flexibility and understanding the digital era, the research and innovation culture tends to be much flatter and more straightforward in Silicon Valley. Academics are usually introduced by their first names, people tend to wear casual clothing, and meetings are often scheduled in the coffee corners, either inside or outside. In any case, in Silicon Valley, there is less stress regarding such matters, and being in California provides a great opportunity to pitch Estonian digital context and put that in perspective with the American nature.
To conclude, while challenges and perceptions differ, we proudly emphasize our Estonian identity and continually seek avenues for cross-cultural exchange and collaboration.