Benefits and challenges of e-government implementation worldwide

E-government is a concept that has revolutionized bureaucracy and the way governments operate in the 21st century.

One of the reasons for the inception of electronic government which is central to its functional advantage is the economic management of information.

The costs of production in advanced economies are made up largely of the costs of managing information. Fortunately, computers can often manage information more efficiently than could earlier manual methods. This is the central reality that is driving the movement toward electronic government.

Kurian, 1998, p. xvii)

There are however numerous other cogent reasons that makes electronic government so effective. These include the facilitation of communication and the improvement and simplification of bureaucracy. This paper will explore some of the central facets of electronic government, as well as evaluate the benefits and advantages and possible problematics of e-Government in terms of process and facilities in various countries.

The measurement and assessment of new technology on bureaucracy and waste

An important aspect that requires attention in the implementation of an e-Government system is marketing, both online and offline. This is important in terms of raising public awareness and clarifying new methods and procedures clear to the public.

Communications

One of the critical issues in e-Government is communication. A central critique of many governments has been the perceived distance from the public and the sense that governments are inaccessible to the ordinary citizen. It is one of the central aims of electronic government to bridge this communication gap, and digital technology provides the interactive tools to do this.

Many claim they only see their politicians at election time and find it hard to speak to the right person at the town hall when they want to get something done, like a pavement repaired or illegal rubbish cleared away. Now, however, the whole issue of citizens' relationships with government is changing for the better, thanks to the rapid onset of "new wave" communications.

Nordic countries lead Europe in eGovernment progress, IDC says")

An example that is given of this process is that "...government at all levels will be able to ask people regularly for their views on a wide range of issues. Local councils will also be able to use the hi-tech communications solutions to improve the efficiency of all kinds of services. (ibid)

This interaction and more communicative mode of government can therefore facilitate essential governmental functions such as online voting. It can also facilitate vital public information: for example, sending an SMS message to parents to confirm whether a school has been closed due to a flood. (ibid)

4. Evaluating e-Governments

Research indicates that e-Government spending in Western Europe will rise to $5.8 billion in 2007. (ibid) number of Nordic countries are successfully implanting electronic government systems. "Denmark leads the countries in both readiness of the population to embrace egovernment and in the availability of egovernment services, with Sweden and Finland ahead of their counterparts." (ibid)

Marianne Kolding, director of the International Data Corporation's (IDC) European Services research, states that "... egovernment has definitely become a key component of government modernization strategies." (ibid) These efforts in European countries indicate impressive strides in the implementation and management of electronic technology to increase the viability and effectiveness of government

The deployment of electronic service delivery platforms, electronic procurement and solutions to enable information sharing among government agencies is being progressively complemented by actions aimed at modernizing and integrating back office functions to ensure maximization of efficiency and closing the digital divide and promoting services to ensure citizens take advantage of them. (ibid)

However, other developing counties such as India have not achieved this state of implementation."

While the Indira Gandhi Conservation Monitoring Centre was intended as a national information provider, yet despite a year of planning and analyses"...these information systems never became operational, and the whole initiative collapsed shortly afterwards." (Heeks, R. 2003)

South Africa is another developing country which has achieved partial success in the integration of electronic government in some respects. "A set of touch-screen kiosks was created for remote rural communities in South Africa's North-West Province. These were initially well received. However, the kiosks' lack of updated or local content and lack of interactivity led to disuse, and the kiosks were removed less than one year later." (ibid)

The United Kingdom is a good example of the way that electronic government and the use of technology have been implemented in a considered and organized way. The success in this country can be attributed to the way in which the various critical areas such as marketing, communication and local government involvement were coordinated.

Westminster has required each local council across the UK to produce blueprints called Implementing Electronic Government (IEG) statements, showing how they plan to introduce eGovernment and....The deployment of electronic service delivery platforms, electronic procurement and solutions to enable information sharing among government agencies is being progressively complemented by actions aimed at modernizing and integrating back office functions to ensure maximization of efficiency and closing the digital divide and promoting services to ensure citizens take advantage of them. (Bringing government closer to the people)

There is also been an integration between government and other sectors in an effort to coordinate an effective electronic government program. For example, the close coordination with the British communications company, BT, has helped government deal with the myriads of problematic areas in the transference to the electronic medium

5. Conclusion

When it is well implemented and planned in conjunction with other agencies and institutions, electronic government can be highly effective in reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and also in facilitating more effective communication and governance. "eGovernment will help to reduce red tape drastically and facilitate a cultural transformation by bringing councils and citizens closer together." (ibid) However, when there is no clear strategy for the implementation of e-Government the results can be poor and create confusion and a poor perception of government. Electronic government is still in its infancy and there are many areas that have to be addressed before an ideal system is in place. For instance, an example is the issue of privacy in the digital environment that has come to the forefront in recent years.

However, an optimistic future is described by experts for a well implemented e-Government strategy.

Eventually citizens can expect a one-stop access point for all council information and services. Instead of hunting for the right department, individuals would simply decide what communication method best suited their needs - visit the nearest council office, log on to a council web site, send an e-mail or simply pick up the phone - and their request, complaint or comment would be dealt with effectively by the relevant official. This would apply to social services, education, housing, refuse collection and many more. (ibid)