Land infocracy

Globally, contemporary forces are changing the way land is managed and administered. These include a wide variety of technological innovations, post-conflict behavior and contexts, rural poverty and food security. Information about ownership or other rights to land and real estate is a source of power and authority struggles. Construction of the information models, access to such information and maintenance of the information systems is often limited to few actors, whilst the beneficiaries of the information, the land right holders, are multiple. This research aims at constructing and testing a theoretical model of land infocracy. Such a model can provide a bet ter insight in strategic behaviour and strategic solutions of actors administrating land and land information. The model is derived through a neopragmatist research approach, which inducts observed professional behavior into a cyclic development a theoretical model. Testing and adapting the model relies on 3 case studies, where land information is constructed in 3 different infocratic contexts: state-led information construction, non-state or private firm information construction and citizen-platform information construction. In each context the social context and strategic behaviour is compared. The outcome of the research is not only relevant for developing countries where land administration is incomplete or ineffective, but also for western countries where the adoption of ICT is occurring alongside organizational changes (e.g. mergers) of cadastres and land registries. Furthermore, it is timely and opportune for international development policies, which list resolving land issues as a priority.      «

Globally, contemporary forces are changing the way land is managed and administered. These include a wide variety of technological innovations, post-conflict behavior and contexts, rural poverty and food security. Information about ownership or other rights to land and real estate is a source of power and authority struggles. Construction of the information models, access to such information and maintenance of the information systems is often limited to few actors, whilst the benefici...     »