E Government: Definitions, Benefits, Development, Examples.

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E Government Definitions, Benefits, Development,
Examples.

• Public
• FTAA.ecom/inf/134
• June 3, 2002
• Original Spanish
• Translation FTAA Secretariat

• HUGO GALLEGOS C.
• Executive Vice President - Electronic Commerce

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What is e-Government?
E-government refers to the use of Information
Technologies such as the Internet to provide
services, information, and knowledge in an
efficient, cost-effective manner.
It allows for closer ties between the citizenry
and the public sector.
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Why is e-Government Important?
e-government represents an opportunity to make a
major contribution to economic development by
assisting businesses to reduce their operating
cost in dealing with government and have
immediate access to government information.
Similarly, the provision of e-services to
citizens represents an opportunity to reduce the
complexity of dealing with government
administration and of bringing citizens and
government closer together, thereby making
government more transparent and
accessible." Government of Jordan
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e-Government is an Important Element of
Administrative Reform and State Modernization
The most important objectives for effective
administration
Possible support through e-government

• Greater citizen satisfaction

• Facilitates processing of contacts with the
  government administration

• Better service for companies

• Promotes economic development via the Internet,
  reduces wait time at government offices, etc.

• More attractive to companies

• Better service encourages the public to use
  government services

• Greater efficiency in government administration

• Faster processing through electronic support

• Greater economic efficiency in government
  administration

• Cost savings through, for example, e-procurement

• 100

1) Poll of the Bertelsmann-Foundation involving
164 greater in cities with more than 50,000
inhabitants. Aug-Oct., 2000. Objectives rated as
"very important."
Source Bertelsmann-Foundation, Roland Berger
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e-Government means more than offering services
on-line it means, above all, modernizing the
public administration
It is not merely a question of putting existing
procedures on the Internet
it means reforming them
Partial Modernization
Complete Modernization

• Offering on-line services to the public
• Rather than redesigning outmoded internal
  processes

• Offering on-line services to the public
• Operating and working in settings characterized
  by collaboration, and eliminating communication
  breakdowns

• Limited cost savings
• No improvements in internal efficiency
• Partial understanding of e-government
• New technologies are not used to their full
  potential

• Total cost savings
• Greater efficiency in processes
• Full understanding of e-governments potential
• Full use of the potential of new technologies

Source Roland Berger
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Basic Components

• Providing services to citizens. The introduction
  of IT in public administration allows the
  government, individuals, and companies to
  interact in new ways, such that individuals and
  companies will receive efficient and effective
  services, regardless of their location or the
  time of day when they log on to the Internet.
• Good government. The introduction of IT in public
  administration allows internal processes in
  government administration to be improved and new
  processes to be created. This makes it possible
  to bring together various existing systems in a
  single entity or to share resources and improve
  internal management among several entities.
•  
• Consolidation of democracy. Citizens' access to
  the Internet allows them to play a more active
  role in government decisions while generating new
  spaces for and types of citizen participation.

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Guiding Principles

• Transformation. The use of ITs must be geared
  towards introducing new work methods, by creating
  new operational processes and changing current
  processes, as well as by changing government's
  relationship with the public.
•  
• Broad scope. The implementation of IT in
  government processes must ensure that all
  citizens will have equal access for this
  purpose, factors such as geographic location, the
  issue of time, and social strata must be taken
  into account.
•  
• Ease of use. Applications that are to be
  implemented must be oriented towards citizens
  and, hence, be user friendly.
•  
• Greater benefits. Applications should ensure that
  the benefits citizens obtain from using ITs to
  complete formalities will be greater than those
  from going in person to government offices.

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• Security and privacy. When implementing
  applications, consideration should be given to
  using security and privacy mechanisms and
  policies, to ensure the proper use and handling
  of personal information and transactions.
•  
• Role of the private sector. The private sector
  can assist the state in providing computer-based
  solutions, as well as in training government
  employees. And it can do so without limiting
  citizens' access to information.
• Decentralization. Each government department will
  be responsible for maintaining electronic
  services, as well as for ensuring that newly
  implemented systems are compatible with existing
  systems within the same organization and with
  other government bureaus.

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Despite the necessary initial investment,
e-government allows for substantial cost savings
Savings
Time
Costs
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Levels of e-Government
G2C
G2B
G2E
G2G
Trust, Privacy, and Security
Technological and Communications Infrastructure
Source Scott Fairholm, Electronic Government
Implementation Division, Commonwealth of Virginia
www.egov.state.va.us
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Evolution of e-Government
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Phases of the Implementation Process

• Presence. In this phase, basic information on the
  service is provided to the public.
• Interaction. Basic communication is established
  with the public and basic search tools are
  introduced.
•  
• Transaction. Includes transactions conducted for
  the provision of government services, which
  become an alternative to going to government
  offices in person.
•  
• Transformation. Refers to changes in the way
  services are provided, such that services that
  are part of an agencys critical mission are
  provided electronically and applications that
  manage the provision of services to citizens are
  introduced.

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• Emerging Web Presence
• Formal presence, although limited in scope
• A single or a few independent government websites
• Information updated infrequently
• Contact information available
• Special features, such as FAQs, can be found

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Enhanced Web Presence

• Begins to expand through several government
  websites
• Dynamic and specialized information that is
  updated regularly
• An official government website serves as a
  gateway
• Allows downloading of publications, laws, and
  official government letters

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Interactive Web Presence

• Dramatic expansion in Internet presence
• Access to a broad range of institutions and
  government services
• A government website acts as a nationwide portal
• A higher degree of sophistication in interactions
  between the public and services suppliers
• Searches in specialized databases downloading
  and returning of forms and applications online
  possibility of scheduling meetings with
  representatives
• Emergence of secure sites and user passwords

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Web Presence for Transactions

• Secure, complete online transactions visas,
  passports, licenses, authorizations, etc.
• A one-stop government website allows users to
  access a straightforward and simple shopping
  portal with access to government services
• Services based on users specific needs or
  priorities, beyond the functions of a department
  or agency
• Opportunity for citizens to pay taxes, vehicle
  registrations, etc., online
• Recognition of digital signatures

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Fully Integrated Web Presence

• The government provides all services through a
  universal, direct shopping portal
• Users can tailor portals to their specific needs
• Instant access to any service through a single
  package
• Services grouped around common needs
• All transactional services offered by the
  government available online.

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Requirements for an e-Government Project

• e-Government means putting an information system
  for citizens online.
• An information system as an essential
  requirement.
• The information must be useful, so as to avoid
  user frustration.
• The information system must involve the entire
  organization, not only certain departments.
• Making information available to the public (and
  making it easy for the public to correct that
  information) is the best way to gradually improve
  it.

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Requirements for an e-Government Project

• Priorities should be defined and political
  support should be obtained
• The network infrastructure must be built and kept
  secure (PKI, SmartCards, etc.)
• Internet access for employees of the
  corporations, schools, as well as the general
  public needs, to be promoted.

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Requirements for an e-Government Project

• Making e-mail accounts available to everyone
• It should be possible to contact all officials by
  e-mail
• This should be the main means of communication
  among a government agency's employees
• A general directory should be maintained

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Requirements for an e-Government Project

• The information made available by a government
  agency must be easy to access
• It should be easier to access information
  electronically than by traditional means
• Printing costs should decline

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Requirements for an e-Government Project

• Automating procedures
• Administrative processes can be initiated,
  consulted, and carried out through the new access
  systems.
• Greater transparency in the process.
• Indicate formalities and procedures on which
  information will be given on the Internet.

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Requirements for an e-Government Project

• Catalyzing services for the "virtual community"
• Job bank
• Advisory services for companies
• Advertising for local SMEs
• Real-estate (housing) exchange
• Application and webpage hosting
• Clearinghouse for training courses

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Where to Begin?

• The authors point to three crucial elements for
  developing e-government
• An organizational and institutional structure.
• Launching projects and generating a multiplier
  effect.
• Development of a more comprehensive analysis of
  an e-government strategy and an action plan.

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Basic Architecture

• The architecture required for an e-government
  system has the following components
• Portal An integrated website that acts as a
  gateway for a broad range of services for
  citizens and business users.
• Access devices Electronic services could be
  accessed by telephone, PC, PDA, etc.

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• The architecture required for an e-government
  system has the following components
• Government intranet Should be linked to the
  various departments in a government agency and
  integrate internal databases.
• Government extranet Connects the government
  agency with the public, companies, and other
  users, such as universities, libraries, etc.

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Challenges to Overcome

• Depending on a country's economic, social, and
  technological reality, before an e-government
  program can progress, it must overcome a series
  of challenges, such as
• Low Internet penetration.
• Infrastructure restrictions.
• Digital divide.
• Concerns regarding privacy and security.
• Limited number of qualified IT specialists.

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Challenges to Overcome

• Depending on a country's economic, social, and
  technological reality, before an e-government
  program can progress, it must overcome a series
  of challenges, such as
• Lackluster efforts to modernize the state.
• The absence of a suitable legal foundation.
• Limited dissemination of information on the
  nature, types, and benefits of e-government.

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Objectives of e-Government Programs

• Based on experience in other countries, experts
  stress the following objectives
• Improving the quality of government services,
  reducing processing time, and encouraging
  interaction.
• Increasing government transparency by making it
  easier to access government information.
• Enhancing the state's response capacity and
  expanding its coverage by allowing it to provide
  more information and reach localities where it
  does not yet have a presence.

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• Based on experience in other countries, experts
  stress the following objectives
• Saving time, money, and other resources for the
  state, as well as for the public and businesses,
  as a result of improved efficiency.
• Generating a multiplier effect that will spur the
  development and use of information technology by
  individuals and organizations.

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How to Establish an e-Government Program

• Centralized implementation model
• Decisions are made by top officials in the
  executive branch. For example, an e-government
  ministerial board can be formed.
• A master plan is drawn up, and government
  agencies are instructed to develop their own
  applications in line with it.
• Technological standards are determined by a
  supervisory body.

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How to Establish an e-Government Program

• Decentralized model implementation
• Each government agency develops its own plans,
  based on its own priorities or criteria.
• The variety of topics may be broader and may come
  from internal or external workgroups.
• Each agency determines the contents of its
  applications and how they will be used, although
  one government agency will define cross-agency
  standards.
• Innovations are gestated from within the agencies
  themselves.

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Example of e-Government Applications

• Portal for Online Transactions
• Problems being targeted
• Need to go to several different government pages
  to carry out online transactions.
• Both portals and individual pages offer little
  interaction with users. Hence, citizens continue
  to carry out transactions at government offices.
• Objective To offer a one-stop portal where
  citizens can access information and carry out
  transactions with respect to government services.

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Example of e-Government Applications

• Electronic Access
• Problems being targeted Only a small percentage
  of the population has Internet access this
  presents a major obstacle for implementing an
  e-government model intended to reach most the
  population
• Objective To increase the number of access
  points, by setting up either community
  telecenters with Internet access or
  kiosks/terminals in government offices.

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Example of e-Government Applications

• Government Intranet
• Problems being targeted The lack of electronic
  communication between government agencies delays
  processes and raises the cost of communication
  and management. Moreover, although many state
  agencies use technological tools, principally
  e-mail and webpages, further efforts need to be
  undertaken for these technologies to provide
  support for internal administration, for certain
  definitions to be standardized, and for other ITs
  to be used.
• .
• Objective To introduce the use of ITs, thereby
  encouraging increased efficiency and efficacy in
  the management of public institutions.

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Example of e-Government Applications

• Procurements
• Problems being targeted Procurement bidding
  processes have traditionally been carried out
  with printed material, with the state devoting
  budgetary resources to publishing and printing
  forms and biding conditions. Similarly, there is
  a lack of trust in the transparency of bidding
  processes themselves, and in the announcement of
  awards.
• Objective To develop a model by which goods and
  services procurements can be handled
  electronically.

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Example of e-Government Applications

• One-Stop Window
• Problems being targeted Some public services
  require the participation of more than one
  government agency. At present, to obtain these
  services, it is necessary to go in person to each
  agency, as they are not offered electronically.
• Objective One-stop windows are intended to
  provide an economically viable access to
  government services, so as to make it more
  convenient and economical to carry out
  transactions with government agencies. These
  windows will be tailored to the needs of users of
  state services.

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hgallegos_at_infonegocio.com.pe 511-5620986