¶ … Business Research Project "E-democracy, E-governance, and Public Net-Work"
Steven Clift's article about technology and how it is changing the face of government gives much insight into several issues and concepts. The three most important concepts are the ones mentioned in the article title -- e-democracy, e-governance, and public net-work. The purposes of this paper are to define these three terms, to discuss how these concepts are being implemented throughout the world, and to indicate opinion as to why the United States appears to lag behind other parts of the world when it comes to these issues.
E-democracy is defined by the article's author as "the use of information and communications technologies and strategies by 'democratic sectors' within the political processes of local communities, states/regions, nations and on the global stage" (Clift, 2003). A discussion of what this really means is important. Democratic sectors include everything from governments to the voters that put them in office, and they are all significant. They have many different rights and responsibilities, but they all tie in together to make up the concept of e-democracy.
E-governance has to do with governments making their decisions and working with others through computers and online avenues (Clift, 2003). This is allowing more individuals in the general public to contact government officials and receive responses to their comments and questions. In addition, it allows governments to work more closely with those...
It involves using information and communication technologies to ensure that public policy goals are implemented and that stakeholders can stay involved in these policies and the decisions that are being made (Clift, 2003). This is becoming a vital component of many governmental entities today as they strive to keep up with changing technology in the information age. Much of this is expected of them by their stakeholders and it is for this reason that keeping up with technology has become so important.
These concepts are being implemented throughout the world in several ways. Many countries have begun to create technological infrastructures for their governmental entities in the hopes that this will bring them closer to the citizens and help to understand their wants and needs. This has been found to have many challenges, however, as implementing this type of technology is much more difficult than the speculation of whether it could be done or how it should be done. Another problem that these individuals are facing right now is that many of the entities that are utilizing e-democracy are finding that they are unaware of what the other entities are doing.
This becomes problematic where decisions and policies are concerned, but it appears…
