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“Vi uppfattade inte att vi hade ett problem”: En kvalitativ innehållsanalys av ansvar och ansvarsutkrävande i samband med it-skandalen på Transportstyrelsen 2017

Hallberg, Anne LU (2026) STVK04 20261
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis investigates how internal structures of responsibility and external
accountability procedures function during an administrative crisis by examining
the 2017 IT scandal at the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), where
large-scale IT outsourcing led to severe security breaches and a major political
crisis. The case is studied in the context of contemporary reforms, such as New
Public Management (NPM). The purpose of this thesis is to understand the
scandal through theoretical perspectives on responsibility and accountability.
Specifically, the concepts of the problem of many hands and the problem of many
eyes. Utilising a qualitative single-case design, a qualitative content analysis was
conducted on empirical... (More)
This thesis investigates how internal structures of responsibility and external
accountability procedures function during an administrative crisis by examining
the 2017 IT scandal at the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), where
large-scale IT outsourcing led to severe security breaches and a major political
crisis. The case is studied in the context of contemporary reforms, such as New
Public Management (NPM). The purpose of this thesis is to understand the
scandal through theoretical perspectives on responsibility and accountability.
Specifically, the concepts of the problem of many hands and the problem of many
eyes. Utilising a qualitative single-case design, a qualitative content analysis was
conducted on empirical data, including parliamentary hearings, reports and media
content. The findings reveal a complex interaction between internal responsibility
and external accountability demands from multiple forums. Both collective and
hierarchical models of responsibility can be identified within the organisation, as
well as conflicting consequences for actors. Ultimately, the study concludes that
while individuals faced harsh sanctions, the underlying conflict between
market-driven efficiency and regulatory security remains. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Hallberg, Anne LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK04 20261
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Transportstyrelsen, kris, offentlig förvaltning, ansvar, ansvarsutkrävande
language
Swedish
id
9227467
date added to LUP
2026-06-16 11:14:39
date last changed
2026-06-16 11:14:39
@misc{9227467,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates how internal structures of responsibility and external
accountability procedures function during an administrative crisis by examining
the 2017 IT scandal at the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), where
large-scale IT outsourcing led to severe security breaches and a major political
crisis. The case is studied in the context of contemporary reforms, such as New
Public Management (NPM). The purpose of this thesis is to understand the
scandal through theoretical perspectives on responsibility and accountability.
Specifically, the concepts of the problem of many hands and the problem of many
eyes. Utilising a qualitative single-case design, a qualitative content analysis was
conducted on empirical data, including parliamentary hearings, reports and media
content. The findings reveal a complex interaction between internal responsibility
and external accountability demands from multiple forums. Both collective and
hierarchical models of responsibility can be identified within the organisation, as
well as conflicting consequences for actors. Ultimately, the study concludes that
while individuals faced harsh sanctions, the underlying conflict between
market-driven efficiency and regulatory security remains.}},
  author       = {{Hallberg, Anne}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“Vi uppfattade inte att vi hade ett problem”: En kvalitativ innehållsanalys av ansvar och ansvarsutkrävande i samband med it-skandalen på Transportstyrelsen 2017}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}