000			02375nam a22001457a 4500
999			_c523240 _d523240
008			230802b ||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
100			_aMaziashvili, M., Pleśniak, A. and Kowalik, I. _942214
245			_aThe digital communication tools and citizens' relationship with local governments: A comparison of Georgian and polish cities
260			_aInternational Review of Administrative Sciences
300			_a89(2), Jun, 2023: p.555-576
520			_aThis article aims to explore the impact of digital communication tools application by citizens and the perceived usefulness of social media on the relationship between citizens and local authorities. The data were gathered in April–September 2020 through a survey (CAWI) among citizens of Poznan, Poland (n=502), and Kutaisi, Georgia (n=504), and were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The findings show that the intensity of digital communication tools usage for participation in the city branding and the perceived usefulness of social media contribute to the lasting relationships between citizens and local authorities in both countries. The novelty of this research concerns comparing two countries with different levels of development. Georgia is a developing economy in Europe and is in the process of modernizing the local governance across the cities. Poland, however, is a mature economy with a post-transformation heritage, where its cities benefit from considerable experience in building and developing citizen participation policies. Furthermore, the research was conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic and evidenced the growing popularity of digital tools adoption by citizens in city matters. This study contributes to understanding the impact of digital tools on the relationship between citizens and local authorities in terms of city brand management. Citizens' participation in the city branding process via various digital communication tools increased citizen commitment towards long-lasting collaboration with local authorities. Moreover, citizens' perception of social media usefulness positively influences their desire to engage in the city branding process online, supporting the trust-building and collaboration between citizens and local authorities. – Reproduced
773			_aInternational Review of Administrative Sciences
906			_aLOCAL GOVERNMENT
942			_cAR