Standardization of Forms in Governments – A Meta-Model for a Reference Form Modeling Language

Forms are central interfaces for information exchange between a government and its citizens. As a way to translate laws into practice, forms are an essential part facilitating this exchange. Unfortunately, forms often require substantial development effort to ensure they comply with legal requirements, with the result that citi- zens often describe them as highly complex. Standardiza- tion of forms through reference modeling would help to minimize governments’ effort by reusing elements and would reduce complexity for citizens by providing a uni- fied representation of information. The article contributes a meta-model for a modeling language that can be used in representing reference models for forms. It follows a design science research approach to elicit form structure and editorial process requirements and to iteratively design the meta-model. The paper demonstrates and evaluates the meta-model using focus groups and application in three case studies. It extends research on standardization to ref- erence modeling and government forms

Electronic Government Systems Interoperability Model

Electronic Government (e-Government) is an initiative to transform the public-sector delivery system towards providing high-performance services and becoming more citizen-oriented. The emergence of broadband and communications technology has become the catalyst for the growth of online systems that form the main thrust of eGovernment. However, the satisfaction level of e-Government systems among citizens is still low because of recurrent transactions in various isolated systems. This is due to the fact that most e-Government systems have yet to be integrated. Successful integration could only be achieved if interoperability factors are completely defined and introduced in the early stages of systems development. These requirements currently are not fulfilled. Previous studies have identified seven contributing factors towards e-Government systems interoperability. This study extends the findings further by confirming those factors through a qualitative approach. Semistructured interviews were used involving five highly experienced informants from various Government agencies. The empirical data were then analysed using the content analysis method. From the analysis, the seven factors were refined into respective elements, which delineate the characteristics of each factor. The factors and elements then together form an e-Government systems interoperability model

E-governance for sustainable development in Ghana: Issues and prospects.

Electronic governance and sustainable development have attracted considerable scholarly attention in recent times. However, the relationship between the two concepts has not been sufficiently explored within the academic community in Ghana. This study explores the current state of e-governance and how it is perceived to be related to the concept of sustainable development and its application in Ghana. It brings to the forefront of the topical issue of sustainability and how it can be achieved through systems thinking. The aim of this study was to explore the nexus between e-governance and sustainable development, the contribution of e-governance to sustainable development and the measures to increase the adoption of e-governance in Ghana. This study employed a mixed-method research design to achieve its objectives. Focus group discussions and questionnaires were the principal data collection instruments alongside secondary data. Per the research findings, there is a strong relationship between e-governance and sustainable development. The study further established that the deployment of e-government projects have a direct impact on the three pillars of sustainable development; economic, social, and environment. From the study, e-governance ensures the delivery of services remotely, thereby reducing the economic, social and environmental costs associated with service delivery to the public. It cuts down on the use of resources and empowers consumers to seek and receive services around the clock. This study recommends that e-governance should be a vital tool for sustainable development and that for developing countries to realize the full benefits of e-governance, the two concepts should be pursued in simultaneity