Freedom of information and Scottish local government: continuity, change and capabilities in the management of information

The Freedom of Information [Scotland] Act 2002 (FOISA) offers opportunities to local governments to generate strategic and operational level organisational change centred around the management and flow of information. Our research findings show, however, that while FOISA is perceived to contribute to change it is not perceived as a catalyst for radical strategic transformation in its own right. Instead, the tendency is towards its absorption within the existing bureaucratic-administrative culture and organisational arrangements embedded within Scotland's local governments.