Visioning and Engineering the Knowledge Society: A web science perspective Springer-Verlag, 2009 The effectiveness of the e-cognocracy Xhevrie Mamaqi 1 , José María Moreno-Jiménez 1 1 Zaragoza Multicriteria Decision Making Group (http://gdmz.unizar.es) Faculty of Economics, University of Zaragoza, Spain mamaqi@unizar.es, moreno@unizar.es Abstract. This paper presents an empirical analysis of the effectiveness of the democracy model known as e-cognocracy [1-7]. The paper considers the extent to which the goals of e- cognocracy (transparency, control, participation, knowledge democratisation and learning) are achieved in an e-discussion process in a cognitive democracy using a collaborative tool (forum). Students on the Multicriteria Decision Making course at the Zaragoza University Faculty of Economics were surveyed with the aim of identifying their opinions with regards to the Gran Scala leisure complex project which involves locating the biggest leisure complex in Europe in the Los Monegros area of Aragon, north-east Spain. The results of the survey, which focuses on different dimensions of the problem (quality of the web site, quality of information available and attributes for effectiveness), have been analysed using structural equations. This approach has been formulated as a general framework that allows an empirical evaluation of citizens' e- participation in electronic governance. Keywords: e-cognocracy, e-democracy, e-government, e-participation, knowledge society, effectiveness, structural equation model (SEM). 1 Introduction Electronic Government (e-Government) can be understood as the application of information and communications technology (ICT) in the field of public administration. Electronic Government could include the provision of services via Internet (e-administration), e-voting, e-discussion, e- democracy and even the most complicated issues concerning the governance of society. In a world of growing complexity, the objective of scientific decision making [8] not only involves the search for truth, as suggested by traditional science, but the formation of the individual (intelligence and learning), the promotion of relationships with others (communication and coexistence), the improvement of society (quality of life and cohesion) and building the future (development). All this can be seen as a part of the „Knowledge Society‟ – for the advancement of knowledge and human talent. In the context of democracy (considered as the most widespread and accepted representative model among western societies), Moreno [1] proposed a new democratic model known as e- cognocracy [1-7]. This new model combines the preferences of political parties with the