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MBA of Public Administration & e-Government

These are some brief notes on Public Administration & e-Government - 1

Dr.  S.  Maurer,  
MBA Professor

New technologies arë changing the way that law enforcement investigates suspected criminals from tracking e-mails and eaves dropping cellular phone calls.  These examples of e-government,  and many others,  show how it is changing the way we share information,  transact business,  and make decisions.  Lawyers are among the many professionals impacted by these changes.

What is e-government policy? e-government is a national strategy that has been launched to ensure that all local and central government services should be made electronically available in the future years.

E-government refers to the systematic use by government agencies of information and communications technologies [such as wide area networks,  the internet,  and mobile computing] that have the ability to transform relations with citizens,  businesses,  and government.  These technologies can improve delivery of services,  including interactions with business and citizens,  and promote efficient management.

In the minds of elected officials,  encouraging e-government is a win-win proposition.  The public loves to cut waste while improving service,  and politicians are happy to show that tax dollars are being spent more efficiently.

Why do government officials love e-government and hate e-democracy? The answer is implicit in the definition of the question.  e-government uses information technology to make government operate more efficiently,  often by copying techniques first developed in the private sector.  E-democracy uses information technology to make elected officials more accountable to the public.

Getting the data infrastructure right is important and having access to citizen information is half the battle in providing excellent e-government support.  How this is presented at the front-end,  however,  is just as important in ensuring the organisational issues are resolved.

Investment e-government decisions in the public sector,  whether they involve it or not,  necessarily take place in a context of political and policy influences.  No matter how solid or technically sophisticated an ROI analysis may be,  it will not likely be the sole determinant of an investment decision.  When deciding how to prepare and present an ROI analysis,  therefore,  it is best to take into account all the potential risks that influence the decision process.

E-government opens up many possibilities for innovating and improving government services.  Many governments are working toward providing citizens with access to information and services 24 hours a day,  seven days a week from the convenience of their home or office PC.  This requires organizing services by the needs of citizens,  rather than by the agencies that provide them.

The most prominent obstacle to e-government is digital illiteracy,  followed by a lack of well-developed procedures for cooperation between the public and private sector.  In addition,  shortage of funds or lack of public funds for new projects posed significant obstacles to e-government implementation.

The internet is primarily a communications medium,  not a space to do things,  other than buy the odd book,  CD or bottle of wine.  And yet there are hundreds of projects up and down the country,  online communities,  pressure groups and learning centres where e-government is happening.

e-government is in principle nothing new.  Governments were among the first users of computers.  But the global proliferation of the internet,  which effectively integrates information and communications technology on the basis of open standards,  combined with the movement to reform public administration known as New public management,  has for good reason generated a new wave of interest in the topic.

Together with the trend towards outsourcing tasks and working with manufacturer in private-public partnerships,  this is likely to lead to rapid growth of the e-government market and create plentiful business opportunities,  also for small and medium-size enterprises.

government agencies describe online and offline information and services using a consistent classification system [a metadata].  The result is an integrated catalogue of information that you can search via the internet.

Quality rather than quantity should be the watchword for your e-government work.  The percentage of people using services online rather than the percentage of services available should be the measure by which the success of the e-government programme is judged.  Therefore,  greater attention should be paid to delivering services,  which are not only attractive,  but also deliver the greatest benefits to citizens.

e-government is not only or even primarily about reforming the work processes within and among governmental institutions,  but is rather about improving its services to and collaboration with citizens,  the business and professional community,  and nonprofit and nongovernmental organisations such as associations,  trade unions,  political parties,  churches,  and public interest groups.

These are some brief notes on Public Administration & e-Government - 2

Dr.  S.  Maurer,  
MBA Professor

e-government can improvë efficiency,  increase citizen involvement and help achieve reform – but it is not enough just to open up a website and wait for visitors to start flooding in.

Imagine an e-government future in which citizens can log onto one internet site,  easily find the government services they are looking for,  and use that site to conduct an online transaction.

government agencies describe online and offline information and services using a consistent classification system [a metadata].  The result is an integrated catalogue of information that you can search via the internet.

The number of people in the United States seeking government-related information online increased 70% between 2000 and 2002,  from 40 million in 2000 to 68 million in 2002,  according to a Pew internet and American Life study.

Investment e-government decisions in the public sector,  whether they involve it or not,  necessarily take place in a context of political and policy influences.  No matter how solid or technically sophisticated an ROI analysis may be,  it will not likely be the sole determinant of an investment decision.  When deciding how to prepare and present an ROI analysis,  therefore,  it is best to take into account all the potential risks that influence the decision process.

Together with the trend towards outsourcing tasks and working with manufacturer in private-public partnerships,  this is likely to lead to rapid growth of the e-government market and create plentiful business opportunities,  also for small and medium-size enterprises.

The crm will enable councils to work together,  saving time and resources.

Unlike most governmental programs,  e-government in the U.S.  was broad based.  The passion of e-government practitioners it came about with the development of the Blueprint for e-government PDF in 2000 and was faciliatated by the Council for Excellence in government .  Hundreds of individuals and organizations from the private sector,  federal,  state and local governments,  NGOs,  academia,  and researchers collaborated to produce the blueprint.

Technologies like the internet may be changing the way that governments interact with citizens and businesses,  but that's only part of the puzzle.  What happens behind en e-government web site is a fundamental change in the way that government business is being conducted.

From an manufacturer perspective,  improvements need to be made to the customer/supplier interface,  if e-government is to continue to flourish.  In particular,  the concept of partnering needs to evolve and develop into a 'modern relationship'.

The past few years has seen significant growth in the number of e-government services available over the internet.  The potential for the internet to significantly enhance the way that individuals and organisations conduct business with e-government is now more evident than ever before.

e-government is as varied and complex as government itself.  While government is a dynamic mixture of goals,  structures,  and functions that serve mulTIPle and diverse constituencies,  e-government initiatives incorporate technology to improve the way it serves those constituencies.

Using the internet portals to create one-stop shops is one currently popular e-government approach to improving the delivery of public services to citizens.

e-government it is more about leading change and transforming institutional processes with technology as the enabler and leadership as the driver.  e-government Fellows offer a unique perspective on e-government and the challenges of implementing it [see Reach for the Future].  Also,  e-government can be funded through reengineering and other management improvements.

Viewing e-government projects as mainly an investment in public infrastructure is too restricted,  since the investment is also aimed at reducing the size and costs of government while accelerating the growth of the e-government market,  helping to create new businesses and jobs in the private sector.

These are some brief notes on Public Administration & e-Government - 3

Dr.  S.  Maurer,  
MBA Professor

In the minds of electëd officials,  encouraging e-government is a win-win proposition.  The public loves to cut waste while improving service,  and politicians are happy to show that tax dollars are being spent more efficiently.

e-government is going to be a prime enabler for transformation of the way that central and local government interact and communicate with Citizens.

The e-government resulting benefits can include less corruption,  increased transparency,  greater convenience,  revenue growth,  and cost reductions.  e-government has a great role in offering services to citizens and promoting democracy brought by the integration of the internet in the process of governance.

Often there is not a hard-and-fast distinction between e-government and e-democracy.  Take voting technology.  To the extent that improved voting technology reduces government's cost of conducting a reliable vote,  it is e-government.  But to the extent it systematically influences who votes,  whose votes are actually counted or any other variable that affects the translation of voter preferences into public policy,  it is e-democracy.

Why do government officials love e-government and hate e-democracy? The answer is implicit in the definition of the question.  e-government uses information technology to make government operate more efficiently,  often by copying techniques first developed in the private sector.  E-democracy uses information technology to make elected officials more accountable to the public.

Citizens need to be encouraged to use e-government services,  whilst at the same time understanding that electronic services will not replace other trusted channels of delivery such as face-to-face contact.

Any e-government portal offers a varied bouquet of services.  Citizens can apply for the issuance of birth certificates and replace national ID cards,  view their phone and electricity bills,  check for outstanding traffic fines,  renew their driving licenses and apply for entry to state universities.  Tourists,  meanwhile,  can file complaints,  while other features are provided for exporters,  including taxation and customs services.

Imagine an e-government future in which citizens can log onto one internet site,  easily find the government services they are looking for,  and use that site to conduct an online transaction.

e-government can facilitate new forms of collaboration among governments which cut across and diminish such boundaries.  The EuroCities project is an example.  Perhaps in the long term e-government will help to strengthen the identification of citizens.

e-government opens up many possibilities for innovating and improving government services.  Many governments are working toward providing citizens with access to information and services 24 hours a day,  seven days a week from the convenience of their home or office PC.

e-government is in principle nothing new.  Governments were among the first users of computers.  But the global proliferation of the internet,  which effectively integrates information and communications technology on the basis of open standards,  combined with the movement to reform public administration known as New public management,  has for good reason generated a new wave of interest in the topic.

By definition,  e-government is simply the use of information and communications technology,  such as the internet,  to improve the processes of government.

Have we achieved the 'benefits' that were used to justify the e-government program? How do we continue to improve our services and build upon the foundations that we will have created?

Quality rather than quantity should be the watchword for your e-government work.  The percentage of people using services online rather than the percentage of services available should be the measure by which the success of the e-government programme is judged.  Therefore,  greater attention should be paid to delivering services,  which are not only attractive,  but also deliver the greatest benefits to citizens.

All surveys indicate strong demand for e-government from citizens and business and significant benefits flowing from access to online services.  government agencies demonstrated significant improvements in efficiency and reduced costs.  The findings provide strong support for the Better Services,  Better government strategy.

These are some brief notes on Public Administration & e-Government - 4

Dr.  S.  Maurer,  
MBA Professor

The number of peoplë in the United States seeking government-related information online increased 70% between 2000 and 2002,  from 40 million in 2000 to 68 million in 2002,  according to a Pew internet and American Life study.

By marking out e-government as an activity distinct from health,  education or quality of life,  we promote the idea that implementing e-government is an end in itself.

e-government e-Commerce is the transaction of money for government services,  or vice versa,  government purchasing.  People can pay Federal taxes electronically and many states are following suit by beginning to accept online tax payments.

Quality rather than quantity should be the watchword for your e-government work.  The percentage of people using services online rather than the percentage of services available should be the measure by which the success of the e-government programme is judged.  Therefore,  greater attention should be paid to delivering services,  which are not only attractive,  but also deliver the greatest benefits to citizens.

What is e-government policy? e-government is a national strategy that has been launched to ensure that all local and central government services should be made electronically available in the future years.

The challenge for e-government is to continually embrace the opportunities that the online world provides and ensure that community needs and expectations are met,  while at the same time ensuring program and cost effectiveness for government.

Viewing e-government projects as mainly an investment in public infrastructure is too restricted,  since the investment is also aimed at reducing the size and costs of government while accelerating the growth of the e-government market,  helping to create new businesses and jobs in the private sector.

e-government is as varied and complex as government itself.  While government is a dynamic mixture of goals,  structures,  and functions that serve mulTIPle and diverse constituencies,  e-government initiatives incorporate technology to improve the way it serves those constituencies.

Since governmental institutions take part in marketing and sales activities,  both as buyers and sellers,  it is not inconsistent to speak of e-government applications of e-commerce.  Governments do after all conduct business.

Many of us have already experienced the potential of the web to change our relationships with other individuals,  with the business community,  and more recently with e-government.  Getting citizens out of line and getting them online are phrases that are being used to create visions of the new relationship between citizens and government.

The next phase of activity will focus on proving,  qualitatively and quantitatively,  the direct benefits of crm for the citizen and council,  including a tool for calculating the benefits and the Return-on-Investment.

Opportunities for citizens to communicate with their governments are growing.  A recent e-government study found continued improvement in the number of state and federal sites that provide e-mail addresses to allow direct communication with government departments and individuals; more opportunities for site visitors to post comments; and a doubling in the percentage of sites that allow citizens to register for e-mailed updates on specific issues.

Among the most interesting and challenging sociotechnological issues of e-government are in the area of e-Democracy,  which aims to apply information and communication technology to improve the public opinion formation process central to government’s primary regulatory function.

E-government gives New public management fresh blood.  Not only does information and communications technology provide the infrastructure and software tools needed for a loosely coupled network of governmental units to collaborate effectively,  the infiltration of this technology into government agencies tends to lead naturally to institutional reform,  since it is difficult to maintain strictly hierarchical channels of communication and control when every civil servant can collaborate efficiently and directly with anyone else via the internet.

We’re finding a healthy appetite among the world’s government leaders who are eager to embrace e-government,  because they see its enormous potential to help them improve the way they deliver federal services to businesses and people.