EGovernment: An Overview Part I

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E-Government An Overview (Part I)

• Yu-Che Chen, Ph.D.
• Public Policy and Administration Program
• Iowa State University

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Defining E-Government

• e-government is the use of digital technology in
  the management and delivery of public services,
  predominantly through the Internet (Edmiston,
  2003)
• Access, efficiency, democracy
• e-government is a form of organization that
  integrates the interactions and the
  interrelations between government and citizens,
  companies, customers, and public institutions
  through the application of modern information and
  communication technologies (Schedler and Scharf,
  2001)
• Electronic democracy and participation
• Electronic production network
• Electronic public services

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Defining E-Government

• E-government is utilizing the Internet and the
  World Wide Web for delivering government
  information and services to citizens (UN-ASPA in
  Schelin, 2003)
• E-government portals and ICT infrastructure
• The Application of IT to government service is
  often termed e-government and the larger
  concept of government that depends upon IT to
  achieve basic missions is termed digital
  government (Marchionini et al, 2003)
• Access to information, transaction services, and
  citizen participation

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What is E-government?

• Electronic government refers to the use of
  information and communication technology (
  particularly Web-based Internet applications) to
  better the relations between government and its
  employees, citizens, businesses, nonprofit
  partners, and other agencies by enhancing the
  access to and delivery of government information
  and services.

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Interagency and Agency to Employee on the Intranet
Agency-to-agency services Employer-to-employee
information Links to various levels of
government for intergovernmental relations
Courtesy, Don Pearson, Government Technology
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Why go e for government?

• Growing expectations
• ever-growing demands from citizens and businesses
• 58 percent (68 million) of American Internet
  users have accessed at least one government Web
  site.
• Public managers wish to leave a legacy
• Efficiency gain
• ICT holds the promise to do more with less
• Improved access to and delivery of information
  and services
• Enhanced democracy and governance

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E-Government Policy Environment

• E-Government Act of 2002
• Guiding principles
• Make it easier for citizens to interact with
  government
• Increase agency-to-agency cooperation
• Raise the profile of government IT leader
• Strengthen privacy protection
• Improve information security
• Homeland security
• Cross-boundary cooperation
• Horizontal
• vertical
• Information sharing

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E-Government Policy Environment

• Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) of
  1998
• By Oct. 21, 2003, federal agencies provide the
  public, when practicable, the option of
  submitting, maintaining, and disclosing required
  information electronically.
• Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996
• Requires GSA to provide government-wide online
  access to information about products and services
  available under multiple award schedules program
• Establish CIO in each agency and IT strategic
  planning requirement
• 1996 Electronic Freedom of Information Act
  Amendment
• Access to electronic formats and online
  information
• National Performance Review (1993, 1997)

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Information and the Business of Government

• Managing government information
• Data administration
• Sharing and re-using information
• Exchanging information
• Protecting information
• Retaining information
• Stewardship

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Information Policy and Management PRA Details

• OMB responsible to maintain information resource
  management policies and to promote implementation
  of IT to improve the use of information
• OMB circular A-130
• Government information is a valuable national
  resource. It provides the public with knowledge
  of the government, society, and economy past,
  present, and future. It is a means to ensure the
  accountability of government, to manage the
  governments operations, to maintain the healthy
  performance of the economy, and is itself a
  commodity in the marketplace. The free flow of
  information between the government and the public
  is essential to a democratic society. (Fletcher,
  1999)

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Status of Federal e-Government

• Going Interactive
• use Internet to collect and disseminate
  information and forms
• buy and pay for goods and services
• submit bids and proposals
• Apply for licenses, grants, and benefits
• 1371 unique initiatives
• 809 information dissemination
• 460 transactions
• 88 forms only and 56 transformation

Source GAO, Electronic Government, 2001
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Status of Federal e-Government

• Categories of constituencies of federal
  e-government initiatives
• Government to citizens (570)
• Government to employees (356)
• Government to government (348)
• Government to business (315)

Source GAO, Electronic Government, 2001
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Digital State Survey

• Eight Areas
• electronic commerce
• taxation and revenue
• social services
• Law enforcement and the court
• Digital democracy
• Management/administration
• Higher education
• K-12 education
• Survey Results Available
• Center for Digital Government (www.centerdigitalg
  ov.com)
• ? look for digital state survey button on the left

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2000 E-Government Survey of Local Governments

• 83 percent of them had a web site
• few provide interactive service delivery online
• i.e. online payment of taxes (around 5)
• Request for services (around 30) (i.e. pothole
  repair)
• major challenges
• lack of IT staff (1)
• lack of funding for e-government projects (2)
• service provision outsourcing seems to be an
  attractive option

Source International City/County Management
Association (ICMA) 2000 E-Government Survey
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2002 E-Government Survey of Local Governments

• 74 percent of them had a web site
• few provide interactive service delivery online
• Stay the same
• major challenges
• lack of IT staff (1)
• lack of financial resources (2)
• Service provision
• Majority outsourcing web hosting but trying to
  keep web site operation and integration with
  other databases in house
• GIS is important
• 63 of local governments use GIS

Source International City/County Management
Association (ICMA) 2002 E-Government Survey
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Evolution of e-government
We are here.
Pilot Projects Successful
Full Implementation
Courtesy, Don Pearson, Government Technology
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The Evolution of E-Government A Stage Model
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Multiple Contacts
Multiple Agencies Confused Customer
Courtesy, Don Pearson, Government Technology
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One Access Point
Multiple Contacts Single Source
Satisfied Customer
Electronic Government
Putting the customer in control
Courtesy, Don Pearson, Government Technology
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The Evolution of E-Government A Stage Model