Crowdsourcing in Municipal Ombudsman Offices

A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Municipal ombudsman offices face challenges in managing increasing citizen demands and stimulating meaningful participation, despite legal frameworks guaranteeing citizen rights. Crowdsourcing presents a potential avenue to improve the efficiency of the Ombudsman office and the engagement of citizens. This systematic literature review (SLR) investigates the application of crowdsourcing in municipal ombudsman offices, synthesizing existing research to identify best practices, challenges, and research gaps. A comprehensive search of academic databases from 2010 to 2023 initially yielded 1590 papers. Following a rigorous five-stage filtering process, 24 relevant studies were selected for in-depth analysis. The findings reveal a growing trend of utilizing crowdsourcing primarily for feedback collection and complaint management, although its application in direct decision-making processes within ombudsman offices remains limited. While the literature reports benefits such as increased efficiency and faster problem resolution, significant challenges persist. These include digital inequality, which can exclude vulnerable populations; concerns about the credibility of citizen-submitted data; and institutional resistance to adopting new, crowdsourced approaches. This review indicates the need for further research into the long-term impacts of crowdsourcing on citizen empowerment and ombudsman office accountability. The study provides a valuable foundation for researchers and practitioners seeking to leverage crowdsourcing to strengthen municipal ombudsman services and promote citizen participation, emphasizing the importance of addressing these identified challenges to realize the full potential of crowdsourcing in this context.