NETOCRACY IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: IS A NETWORK-ORIENTED STATE POSSIBLE?

DOI: 10.31673/2786-7412.2025.031607

Abstract

The article explores the phenomenon of netocracy as a new form of
social and managerial organization that arises in the context of the information society
and digital globalization. It is substantiated that netocracy in public administration
appears as a system in which power is based on the possession of knowledge, information
resources, network communications and digital capital. The essence of the concept of
«network-oriented state» is revealed, its main characteristics are determined (openness,
horizontality, adaptability, transparency and the ability to self-regulation). It is
established that the transition to a network model of public administration involves not
only technological modernization, but also a change in management philosophy, the key
components of which are politics, citizen participation and digital legitimacy. The
potential of netocracy mechanisms for increasing the efficiency of public administration
through the implementation of e-government, platform solutions, open data, digital
communication between government and society is analyzed. The risks of a «netocracy»
network-oriented state are outlined (concentration of information power in the hands of
technological elites, algorithmization of management processes, threats of digital
inequality and information security). It is argued that the formation of a network-oriented
state requires a balance between technological rationality and democratic
accountability, the development of digital ethics and new forms of civic participation.
It is found that netocracy can become the conceptual basis for the modernization
of public administration in Ukraine, contribute to the formation of a new type of state –
a state of knowledge, trust and cooperation, where information is the main resource of
power, and network communications are a mechanism for ensuring the legitimacy and
effectiveness of management.

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