The notion of e-government is not new. E-governance has taken many forms especially over the past decade. The earliest e-government efforts revolved around electronic data interchange (EDI) and interactive voice response (IVR) or voice mail. While use of EDI was not widespread in government, electronic tax filing, wire transfers, and automated payments were commonplace (Sprecher, 2000).
In its simplest form, e-government is the use of technology, largely through the Internet, to provide access to information and service to citizens, business, employees, and other governments. E-government makes government available when citizens want it, or in other words, at anytime day or night, in the home or at the office, and even on the road. They do not have to take time off from work, especially in rural areas where people may have to travel four or five hours and take an entire day off to go get services. It provides the right information at the right time to the right person and in the correct format. (Balutis, 2000) By doing the above, government is transforming itself. The actual impact of this transformation is a different government, one that is performing services that are contemporary and different that what traditionally has been provided in the past.
The technology that enables the development and implementation of e-government has been explosive. The explosive entry of technology into every facet of life has changed how people live, how they work, how companies do business, and now changes the way governments, at all levels, can serve their constituents.
The Benefits of E-Governance
What are the advantages of e-governance for society and why should governments move faster towards e-governance? First and foremost e-government is about efficiency. Efficiency is about savings of tax dollars for the government, and making it easy for businesses to conduct transactions with the government. Public services can now be delivered to the businesses and the community on an “anywhere, anytime” basis. (Bourquard, 2003) If an entity, be it person, business or government, does not move fast in a highly dynamic environment one will not be competitive. If government can be more responsive to businesses, one will be able to attract more businesses for investment.
Foreign investors look at different locations and their resources, skills, technology and infrastructure. They also look at how helpful and efficient government is, and how easy it is to get things done. If the government process is very slow and difficult, then they have to think about whether or not this is a good place to do business. In today’s world, investment capital is fluid and flexible. It can move from place to place very quickly, particularly in the technology industry.
Theoretically, e-governance should be able to reduce administrative procedures and bureaucracy by taking bureaucrats and allowing them to do more important work by electronic rather than paper-based communication. Theoretically because pundits have been “forecasting” the paperless office for years while the electronic revolution has actually increased the amount of paper being used in business and governments. (Griffith)
As noted earlier, there are many potential applications of e-government, the most basic of which is making information readily available to the public via the Internet. Examples of this include:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister -
Guildford city web site -
The White House -
In addition to these examples allowing people to find information they need for there day to day dealings with the various levels of government many government sites allow for the payment of fees, make appointments and pay taxes via the Internet. Many Britain as well as most States in the United States for example, have well thought out and useful web sites that let car owners pay their yearly vehicle registration fees online, make appointments, download forms, etc. A few examples include the California Department of Vehicles; as well as Florida’s DMV; and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the U.K. http://www.dvla.gov.uk
Government can use e-government concepts and tools to transform itself. According to many analysts, government agencies can expect to achieve via e-governance the same significant benefits businesses have won through the e-business transformation. Government and businesses are using basically the same tools to transform themselves, such as electronic commerce, customer relationship management, (CRM), and knowledge management. (Webb 2002)
Another advantage of e-government is that an e-government structure can help small and medium sized enterprises. E-government can provide services and information to far more people than any other means of communications. The ability to exchange information and interact with people, even on a basic level can greatly improve the quality and quantity of services offered to the public. (Webb) For these reasons not only business but also the economy as a whole should benefit from a government that reaches people more efficiently.
Finally, there are advantages to the fact that government will be able to increase transparency and consequently have the possibility of reducing misadministration and corruption. The very nature of e-government makes it possible to take the human factor out of many processes and making them automatic. This is particularly true in the fields of procurement and tax and revenue collection. The United States Air Force, Department of Logistics, for example, has implemented a web based procurement system from which Air Force bases all over the globe can resupply themselves via a procurement web site using “shopping cart” type technology running on a (very) secure intranet. The opportunities for misappropreation of supplies have been greatly reduced via this method. ()
Implementing E-Government
Implementing e-government is much more then sitting down and considering what kind of computer to purchase to run your government agency’s web site on. It is important to consider the growth stages of the typical implementation of e-governance initiatives to effectively develop a plan for implementation in one’s own organisation. Many analysts recognize the following five steps as essential in an evolving process of implementing e-government:
- Presence. This is just a step up from paper based administration and inaccessible databases. Government agencies at the presence stage operate non-interactive web sites that contain basic organisational charts and background information about themselves.
- Transmission. After a government agency has a presence on the web, it makes its site a channel for communication with its customers and suppliers. This can include enabling information searches or recording queries to be answered by email or telephone later.
- Transactions. An agency’s web site ceases to be a static page when an e-commerce component is added, enabling citizens and businesses to conduct online transactions, such as registering for permits and paying fines.
- Transformation. As the agency adds infrastructure to conduct online transactions, it should transform internal processes rather than just automate them. (Thomas 2003) Effective automation involves reengineering those processes using e-government’s many constituent technologies. Transformation also grows out of web portals, which enable seamless service delivery from one spot, regardless of how many agencies are involved.
- Shock. Shock is the result of the restructuring of national, provincial and local governments using the transforming power of electronic government. (Thomas) An example is when electronic portals reveal the true number of agencies and programs involved in delivering the same or very similar services, it is thought that mergers and/or extinction of some of these redundant agencies and programmes will take place. (Webb)
According to Balutis, (2000), successful e-government strategies are based on treating government as a corporate entity and delivering top-quality services to users at competitive prices. Most local government services will soon be delivered via the Internet. (Sprecher, 2000) For e-government to be meaningful, it is essential that all local government departments are part of the e-government internet network and that public officials who use the system are given easy, efficient and inexpensive access to it.
Expanding e-government is going to be one of the biggest challenges to public management in the 21st century. At the heart of expanding e-government is the greater use and adoption of portfolio management and enterprise architecture, or public sector finance and innovation concepts representing best practices borrowed from the private sector, which will provide the foundation for e-government innovations that are taking root throughout all levels of government. (Preston 2002)
According to Ho, (2002), e-government implementations should look to private industry as a model, and as a partner, as well as a solutions provider. While dot.com start-ups have gotten the most press, the organizational, structural and process changes that traditional companies and industries have experienced have had the greatest effect on the economy. These are the so-called "clicks and mortar" companies that have embraced new Web technologies. These new Internet-adopting companies have used the new Web integration and relationship-building technologies to create new value networks and to enable these large, complex bureaucracies to work with everyone, everywhere, on everything. In the U.S., for example, prior to implementing e-government initiatives or projects, agencies are required to submit a "business case" to OMB, which is an attempt to link organizational strategy to results.
In the U.K. government has embarked on a program of bringing the whole of Britain into the e-government fold. This includes a target date of December 2005 for full implementation of e-government in each of the council districts. Government requires that:
“Through its “Implementing e-Government” strategy (IEG) statement each council will develop its own vision in accordance with its communities needs. The Government is working with local authorities and others to develop the route-map to turn this vision into a reality.” ()
In addition to a timeline for implementing e-government plans, financial backing is essential for it to be successful. Britain has set aside funding to aid councils in developing and implementing their plans for developing e-government services in their local communities.
In practical terms in implementing e-government services, government should take advantage of existing, and proven, off-the-shelf technology products and solutions. The strength of new Web technology is its ability to integrate in a non-linear way and support the building of relationships. Web technologies applied to e-government projects can provide new mechanisms to break down persistent barriers to interagency and intergovernmental coordination and communication. While technology alone cannot resolve fragmentation and overlapping missions, it can serve as a catalyst for meaningful change. (Steins 2002)
The following is a list of ten technologies foremost in developing and implementing and delivering e-government services today, some of the existing technology has been around since the advent of the Internet. Others have gone mainstream over the last few years. All of them can be implemented as part of an e-government strategy:
- A website typically serves as the foundation for delivering e-government services, and the place where most citizens initially go to explore the types of services that are offered. As part of a government website, a good planning site should include agendas and minutes of planning commission and other planning meetings, digital versions of general or specific plans, an online form with which to contact the planning department via the website, the zoning code, and commonly requested planning forms available for download by interested citizens or businesses.
- E-mail newsletters. Using e-mail to deliver information such as planning commission agendas is perhaps the easiest but most overlooked part of an e-government strategy. A planning agency can simply post a form on its website where interested citizens "subscribe" to a newsletter by providing contact information to a database. Examples of E-mail newsletter software and vendors include
-
LISTSERV[R]:
-
Mailman:
- Postmaster General: www.mindsharedesign.com
-
SparkList:
- Web mapping. Most data has a geographic component, and geographic information systems and web-based mapping (sometimes called Web Geographic Information Systems, or Web GIS) take full advantage of it. GIS has been around for more than a decade, but sophisticated web-based mapping software allows affordable online delivery of complex data such as land-use information, zoning, demographics, aerial photos, real estate site location, routing, and analysis. At the forefront of this kind of data leveraging in the United States is the Boston Redevelopment Authority, which, in addition to having a slick interactive atlas of the city on its website, is moving to require that the plans for new projects be submitted in a digital computer-aided design format. These plans then get integrated directly into the agency's Web GIS. (Steins) Some of the leading software vendors and consultants for GIS include:
- AutoDesk: usa.autodesk.com
- ESRI: www.esri.com
- Intergraph: www.intergraph.com
- MapInfo: www.mapinfo.com
- Visualization. Virtual reality simulations of planned developments or neighbourhoods are among the most expensive technologies on the list, but they can have a tremendous impact on the planning process. A virtual reality simulation allows you to see and experience a place as if you were walking through it. Planners can alter the simulation--by changing landscapes, streetscapes, or building configurations and textures--and immediately demonstrate to citizens and decision makers the visual impact of these changes. Costs can vary widely. Modelling a five-square-block area in virtual reality can cost from $20,000 to $100,000. Increasingly, the power of visualization software is being combined with planning support systems to model complex planning decisions over time. (Steins) Some of the leading vendors and consultants include:
- Evans & Sutherland: www.es.com
- ITSpatial: www.itspatial.com
- MultiGen Paradigm: www.multigen.com
-
Sketch Up (low-cost, personal 3-D creation tool):
- UCLA Urban Simulation Lab: www.ust.ucla.edu
- Planning support systems. Technology that integrates GIS, three-dimensional models, and decision-making tools is one of the fastest growing planning markets. A planning support system employs a sophisticated model to analyse a variety of socio-economic, transportation, environmental, economic, or land-use data and show the outcomes of various assumptions and policy decisions. By changing certain assumptions, the user can see the resulting changes in real time, or accelerate to see predicted changes, as a series of maps, charts, graphs, and in some cases, three-dimensional simulations of the resulting community or region. Increasingly, these systems are being used in conjunction with GIS. Leading vendors and consultants for planning support systems are:
- Environmental Simulation Center, Ltd.: www.simcenter.org
- Orton Community Viz: www.communityviz.com
- Smart Growth INDEX[R]: www.crit.com
- UrbanSim: www.urbansim.com
- What-If?: www.what-if-pss.com
- Technology for public participation. This type of technology can take many forms, from simple online discussion forums, to more formal visual preference surveys, to conference facilities wired to allow audience participation. Regardless of the technology, the goal is to facilitate decision-making, both via the Internet and during face-to-face meetings. Planning tools for public participation have blossomed to include:
- Online tools for opinion polling: One of the most well-known is the Visual Preference Survey[TM], which is conducted during community meetings of 100 to 300 people as well as via the Internet. Community residents rate a series of images showing various densities, streetscapes, architectural styles, and other land-use choices; their preferences are used to create a common vision and guide planning and development efforts. Simpler methods used to collect information include web-based surveys with a series of questions.
- Collaborative design in charrettes and community meetings: Participants can draw electronically or see their suggestions incorporated in real time in computer-generated models. Tools used for collaborative design range from several of the planning support systems to three-dimensional, real-time rendering software.
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Electronic meeting systems: These are typically used in larger and more formal conference settings, where participants use small handheld devices (like TV remote controls) to send poll choices to a central computer in the room that calculates the results from the group and projects them onto a large video screen, providing the presenter and the audience immediate feedback. The city of Vancouver, British Columbia, has permanently wired its science theatre for instant audience polling of proposed regional/urban plans. () Leading vendors and consultants:
- AmericaSpeaks: www.americaspeaks.org
- Covision: www.covision.com
- Dover, Kohl & Partners: www.doverkohl.com
- Environmental Simulation Center: www.simcenter.org
- Fregonese Calthorpe Associates: www.frego.com
- Looney Ricks Kiss: www.lrk.com
- Nelessen Associates, Inc.: www.anavision.com
- Street-Works: www.street-works.com
- Urban Advantage: www.urban-advantage.com
- Online planning portals. The World Wide Web's greatest strength is an ability to build communities without regard for geography. Planning portals on the web enable professional planners and other interested parties to share best practices, stay current with trends around the country, conduct research, interact with other planners, locate Internet resources, and find employment. A local government organisation might not develop its own portal, but professional staffs can turn to portals for information or research. Portals also serve as a model for how larger governments might provide resources to its local government and business partners. Several top urban planning portals include:
- American Planning Association: www.planning.org
- KnowledgePlex: www.knowledgeplex.org
- PLANetizen: www.planetizen.com
- Planning Commissioner's Journal: www.planningjournal.com
- Cyburbia: www.cyburbia.org
- Content management systems. Most public and private sector organizations will be using content management systems within five years. (Griffith 2002) CMS enables the user to store information in an online database using a web browser. Anyone can publish to a website or intranet and quickly update or add information. CMS makes web content dynamic instead of static; the most current information is always available on demand. If a city's zoning code were managed in a CMS, updates to the code also would be reflected in real time on the city's website. The core data gets stored in one central place, but can be published in multiple formats: to a website or intranet site, on a handheld, via e-mail, or even fax on demand. Many organizations develop their own content management systems, although several commercial packages are also available. Some of the leading consultants and vendors include:
- Enterprise (large-scale packages for use across an entire enterprise):
-
Vignette:
- Interwoven: www.interwoven.com
- ArsDigita Community System: www.redhat.com/software/ccm/ community
- Atomz: www.atomz.com
- Red Dot Solutions: www.reddot.com
- Microsoft Content Management Server: www.microsoft.com
- Ektron: www.ektron.com
- OpenCMS: www.opencms.org
- Userland: www.userland.com
- Permitting and zoning systems. Over the last three years a lot of new software has come on the market that enables cities to manage zoning codes in a digital format and publish online, often with sample images, renderings, multimedia, and links to definitions and additional information. Permitting software allows the planning department to track the status of permits in real time; increasingly, these systems are being posted on websites to allow citizens and businesses to apply for and track the status of permits online. Several systems also allow developers or architects to submit required documentation (such as CAD drawings) electronically as well. Leading consultants and vendors are:
- Accela: www.accela.com
- Hansen Information Technology: www.hansen.com
- GovPartner: www.govpartner.com
- Handheld devices. Handheld devices, such as Palm Pilots, provide a revolutionary way to collect data, perform site surveys, and deliver information to mobile workers. The city of Los Angeles is using a system that allows building inspectors to download a list of buildings for inspection in the morning, and then conduct the surveys by entering data into their handheld devices. These devices allow the inspector to enter data only once, they reduce errors, and they accelerate the delivery of compliance letters and reports, which are completely automated. The compliance data is then recorded in a database, mapped, and made public through a local community mapping website, Neighborhood Knowledge Los Angeles (nkla.ucla.edu), so that residents can access and track data about their neighbourhood. (Preston 2002) Software developers for handheld devices include
- Pendragon Software: www.pendragonsoftware.net
- AvantGo: www.avantgo.com
- Microsoft Windows CE: www.microsoft.com/windows/ embedded/ce.net
As can be seen governments can make their endeavour into e-government as simple or as complex as their vision, funds, and planning will allow. In some instances government may be required to develop their own software solutions when implementing e-government solutions, but they would be wise to first do an exhaustive search to see what is out there.
Conclusion
E-government is in many ways the future of government. It has been shown that is can produce more efficient and more intimate services to its constituents and help increase the accessibility of government. The benefits of e-governance can include reduced red tape, increased access for business and individuals, easier access for paying fees and filing forms and can enable the public opportunities for giving immediate feedback to local councils on such diverse issues as planning, resource allocation or public events.
E-government will not ease the complex issues of governance, nor is it a panacea for all that may be wrong in a community or even a nation. Problems of access will persist, particularity among segments of the population who cannot get access to Internet technology for whatever reason. This is true in western nations and is more so in so-called third world nations. The recently concluded conference on technology and the Internet held in Geneva is attempting to address the problem of the so-called digital divide. In the U.K. and in other nations, a few local councils are examining how to provide these services to those without the means of purchasing technology. These solutions include public kiosks and ATM type stations where people can get online and access available e-government services.
Ultimately e-government holds great promise in making governments more efficient and more responsive to the people they serve. How long it will take to become fully “wired” is a matter of time, money and will.
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