Comparative regional analysis of the development of spanish local administration in internet (1997-2002)

THE PAPER IS THE RESULT OF A RESEARCH PROJECT CARRIED OUT IN SPAIN BETWEEN 1997 AND 2002, IN WHICH THE PRESENCE IN INTERNET OF ONE OF THREE EXISTING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS WAS RECORDED, SPECIFICALLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS THE CLOSEST TO THE PUBLIC. WE WANTED TO LEARN ABOUT THE LOCAL CORPORATE STRUCTURES WITHIN THEIR REGIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT, AND TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE VARIABLE OWN/OUTSIDE DOMAIN COULD BE TAKEN AS MEASURE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL WEBSITES. WE ALSO INTENDED TO FINDOUT WHETHER THE 4 TO 4 CONFRONTATION METHOD (WHICH CONSISTS OF ADDING THE 4 REGIONS WITH THE HIGHEST GNP, AND THE 4 WITH THE LOWEST) COULD BE APPLIED TO COMPARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH THAT OF THE WEBSITE. THE PERMANENT AND HETEROGENEOUS EVOLUTION OF LOCAL WEBSITES IS CONFIRMED, AND THE TWO OTHER METHODS ARE VALIDATED.