Analysis of the Diffusion of E-services in Public Sector Using the Decision Tree Method

The results of the this study showed that there is a difference in individual and interactive impact of technological, organizational and environmental factors on the diffusion of e-services in the public sector, as well as a difference regarding the factors that independently impact the diffusion of e-services oriented to citizens and those oriented to business. The results of the study also showed that external factors have a predominant impact on the diffusion of e-services oriented to citizens, while, in the case of e-services oriented to business, in addition to external factors, technical factors also have a high impact. For the purposes of this paper, based on the Technology-Organization-Environment framework (TOE), the conceptual model suitable for e-services in the public sector is developed, while the Decision Tree (DT) Method is used for testing the effects of the proposed variables. This study offers valuable inputs both for the government, for creators of national strategies oriented towards the promotion and support of the availability and usage of electronic services in the public sector, which is very important especially for developing countries. This work is licensed under a&nbsp;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

Social Inclusiveness of Electronic Public Service Delivery in Germany - A Quantitative Analysis

Digital divide is, despite all efforts in research and practice, a matter of fact in most societies. In search for specific strategies to promote digital inclusion, one has to ask for what are the specific reasons and factors behind the problem. Here, the field of E-Government features several particular characteristics, including high privacy and security demands or high complexity of administrative processes, which might hinder the societal inclusiveness of such electronic public service delivery. Addressing the question of what could be possible explanations for a lack of inclusiveness in E-Government, we develop an E-Government-inclusion-gap-model and conduct a quantitative analysis of statistical data on E-Government usage in Germany, taking into account specific social digital divide groups, such as senior citizens, people with low education or people without employment. Here, we contrast E-Government usage with E-Commerce and internet usage. Specific inclusion gaps in E-Government and their underlying issues are analysed and specific recommendations given

Accessibility of E-government Services for Persons with Disabilities in Developing Countries- The Case of Ghana

Several benefits have been attributed to E-government, including the potential to promote independence and belongingness for persons with disabilities (PWD) by enhancing participatory and inclusive governance. Hitherto, government services that required several and long journeys followed by long queues waiting for service at government offices can now be accessed online irrespective of the geographical location via E-government services. As a result, developing countries like Ghana continue to commit resources to the implementation of E-government to harness the associated benefits. Accessibility has been acknowledged, by both practitioners and those in academia, as a key consideration to prevent disparities among citizens which may put PWD at risk of exclusion. However, providing solutions to accessibility challenges for PWD has consistently proven difficult in most E-government implementation projects in developing countries. Therefore, this study investigates the accessibility of Egovernment services for PWD in Ghana with the aim of identifying how key E-government stakeholders perceive accessibility and the contextual drivers that lead to the exclusion of PWD in the development of E-government services. Also, this study seeks to understand if and how these stakeholders and contextual drivers reinforce the exclusionary process. The study employed an interpretive, inductive approach, with sensitising concepts from Egovernment accessibility literature, and the social exclusion framework. Multiple data collection methods were used, namely; observations as a preliminary step to obtaining a better understanding of how the visually impaired use ICTs; interviews as the primary data collection technique from 37 participants; and document analysis. The study involved 3 groups of participants: the visually impaired, E-government web developers and government officers. Data analysis was carried out in two phases- firstly thematic analysis was used to report on perceptions of government officers and developers on accessibility and the experiences of PWD. Contextual drivers impeding accessibility and affecting accessibility experience of PWD were also derived from the thematic analysis. Secondly, E-government and disability policy documents mentioned in interview discussions were analysed using content analysis. The findings of the content analysis were used to validate, clarify and to conduct post-interview checking. The findings show that government officers and developers play a key role in the development of E-government services. Whilst Government officers and developers were identified as powerful agents whose practices determined the accessibility of services that were developed; PWD were side-lined and not involved in the E-government development project. Also, perceptions of government officers and developers on accessibility vary from those of PWD. While government officers and developers believe that with little assistance from third parties PWD can access E-government services, PWD perceive accessibility should offer them the independence to retrieve government information and engage in electronic transactions of their choice. Evidently, accessibility perceptions of E-government implementers differ from that of PWD. Further, the findings show that exclusion of PWD from E-government services is as a result of the intertwining of several contextual drivers, including political, socio-cultural, technological and personal. Political, socio-cultural and technological drivers influence the perceptions and practices of government officers and developers and determine their responses to the accessibility needs of PWD. Personal drivers limit the capabilities of PWD to access Egovernment services and impact on their accessibility experiences. Contextual drivers independently facilitate the exclusion of PWD; however, their interactions with government officers and developers shape their perceptions and constitute crucial exclusionary forces. These exclusionary forces when fed into the development of E-government services reinforce the exclusion of PWD. Given that personal drivers limit the capabilities of PWD, their inabilities to act as change agents reinforce their exclusion. Moreover, power differentials among stakeholders play a vital role in the exclusionary process. The study contributes to better understanding of influences on the E-government development process, how services become inaccessible and the accessibility challenges PWD face. Practically, the study has several implications on the development and implementation of E-government services in developing countries like Ghana. For example, the findings are useful to inform the political leadership on policies and structures to put in place to enhance the accessibility of Egovernment services for PWD

The Activities , Drivers and Barriers of ‘Electronic Public Service Delivery’ in Dubai’s public organisations

Abstract The quest to transform the delivery of government services through innovative and electronic means has been embraced by public organisations worldwide in an ever rising phenomenon, sought after to reap some of the potentially rewarding benefits of the digitisation of government services. In this study, the author reports the experiences of four major public organisations in Dubai as its governing office have imposed a deadline for all of its public agencies to transform and deliver 100 per cent of their services electronically by the end of year 2009. Notably, despite the fact that worldwide reports have placed Dubai as the leader among its Arab peers in the provision of e-government services, technological infrastructures, government’s transparency and internet and mobile penetration rates. Yet, Dubai has missed its 2005 target of transforming 70 per cent of it services electronically facing a dilemma with its digital implementation efforts with achieving less than 45 per cent transformation rate. With e-government deployment failure rates reaching levels of 60 per cent worldwide, the challenges arising from the development of e-government initiatives have proven to be extensive. The complexity of the nature of e-government initiatives as well as the ambiguity surrounding its e-services development process makes reasonable justifications for the high failure rates associated with its deployment efforts all over the world and not just in Dubai. Furthermore, the lack of a universal model and theoretical studies to guide the deployment of this phenomenon have lead researchers and practitioners alike to focus their attention on finding ways and means of improving the adoption and implementation of e-government initiatives. Thus, it was established that it was necessary to find answers for the following questions: How are public organisations in Dubai are going about the diffusion of their egovernment initiatives and what determinates are necessary to be considered in the development process to achieve the initiatives’ success? In response to the aforementioned issues and in order to respond to the research’s objectives and questions, a theoretical framework guided by Roger’s (1995) Organisation Innovation Process theory and extended by Tornatzky and Fleisher’s Technological, Organisational, Environmental (1990) model have been developed to gain a holistic understanding of the phenomenon. The author reported using a multiple in-depth case study research design, drawing on empirical data from semi-structured interviews with e-government participants and gathering evidence from organisations’ documents and proceedings from local and regional Arabic e-government conferences, as well as on-site participants’ observations. This study documented the e-service development activities and identified the influential attributes driving the e-government phenomenon using both a descriptive and exploratory research strategy. Content analysis of the interview transcripts was used to extract answers given during the semi-structured interviews and to identify new themes that emerged from the data. Revision of research findings and comparison with literature have taken place from May, 2011 till April, 2012. The review has contributed to adding over 100 pages to the literature review chapter and over 20 pages to the final chapter of recommendation and conclusion. xi Upon the conclusion of the study’s data presentation and analysis, a further literature review has provided a significant improvement in refining the study’s conceptual framework. It has provides additional theoretical elaboration of key ideas, clearer definition and articulation of the e-services development process and contributed towards the formation of fourteen propositions. The empirical findings indicated three main stages (planning, transformation and deployment) similarly delineated by Rogers’ (1995) Organisation’s Adoption Process theory (initiation, adoption and implementation). However, the stages emerged in a more interactive looping patterns unlike Rogers’ linear model. Additionally, fourteen technological, organisational and environmental factors were indicated as being responsible for influencing the development process of e-services in Dubai public organisations. These propositions are to provide concerned academics with some guidance for further investigation into the e-services’ development practices in the region. This study also attempts to assist and guide government reformers, technological innovations’ team leaders and the implementing staff in Dubai in initiating, deploying, and sustaining their technologically integrated initiatives in a systemic and educated manner

Towards an Improved Framework of E-Government Implementation in Chaotic Environment; Proposed Social Collaboration Model: Case study of Libya

E-government is basically described as using all available electronic media to provide an online public services companies, agencies, citizens or persons in certain country or region. This provision can be provided by the government institutions, agencies, or organisation, in addition to public and private sectors subject to government policies and legislation. Political instability, armed conflict, corruption and chaotic situations are considered to be an obstacle confronting public services delivery and governance in some developing countries around the world. Therefore, Libya is selected a case study of this research. Post the 2011 ousting of the Gadhafi regime in Libya, the country has been experiencing a severe and deep-rooted environment of conflict and chaos, which has destabilised and in some cases dismantled government institutions throughout the country. Within this environment, the original aim of this study was to explore the possibility of implementing e-government services that can provide public services to citizens and, if so, how and what services could be utilised. An exploratory qualitative pilot study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of e-government implementation in Libya utilising the knowledge of government officials. The study found that, the Libyan government had recently and successfully implemented an online e-passport service. An extensive literature review carried out in relation to e-government implementation to help understanding lesions learned and factors behind such success then to utilise the knowledge for further services implementations. Critical success factors of e-government implementation were addressed but available ones are related to stable countries under normal situations. This research is aiming to investigate its implementation in chaotic environment where not much of research is available. During the chaotic environment and instability, different factors may emerge to drive the implementation and the usage of e-services such environment. From government perspectives, it is noticed that cases of corruption, lack of citizens’ safety and poor infrastructure were found to be drivers behind the success of existing government institutions and departments of implement e-passport system. Social collaboration and trust in government institutions’ commitment were emerged from the citizens’ perspectives as factors encouraged the citizens to use the e-passport system. Quantitative data analysed using structural equation modelling techniques using SmartPLS (3.2.7) together with the SPSS 23 were used to analyse the collected data. The outcome were used to propose a framework that can improve the implementation of public e-services while the country at unrest. Another contribution of this studies is the proposal of social collaboration model towards better e-services in such environment

ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE IN AN INTER-ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT: THE PERSPECTIVE OF TERRITORIALITY A study on the Office of Integrated Administration System (Satuan Administrasi Manunggal Satu Atap – SAMSAT) Surabaya

This study investigates organisational change in an inter-organisational context, focusing on the dynamics of the changes, including different roles and functions of each contributing organisation and the relationship amongst these organisations. The issue of interorganisational change is considered important conceptually and contextually. Conceptually, whilst organisational change has been studied extensively, studies on the context of interorganisational changes are limited. Importantly, this study takes territoriality as a lens to frame the dynamics of the changes. Territoriality has been extensively studied in the field of anthropology, geography, political and also sociology; but there are limited studies on organisational territoriality. Most existing studies investigate territoriality as an expressed behaviour, to mark and defend territories. In light of this gap, this study offers a different perspective, by framing territoriality not only as an expressed behaviour, but also proposing it as a process in investigating changes in an interorganisational context. Contextually, this study takes the case of an office of an integrated administration system, which is responsible for managing vehicle registration, taxing and insurance. The role of this organisation has been under spotlight, considering its contributing organisations’ position in the post-reform Indonesia. Most reform lessons are further sourced from Western context or from developed countries; hence this study provides evidence on change from a rather different context, by presenting the case of a public organisation in a developing country and from Eastern, or Asian context. To help with the investigation, this study employed a qualitative method, by using an approach informed by grounded theory. In breaking down collected information and mapping the results, the method thus helped to ask questions on who, what actions, what context, what aims, how they did it and also how the conduct was. Data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews with 16 informants, who were contacted through a snowballing mechanism. Supporting documents were also collected from the organisations involved, as well as publicly available documents, to help with the analysis. In summary, this study argues that territoriality can be seen as a process rather than only an expressed behaviour. In addition, organisational change involves a deterritorialisation process, which without it, a change cannot take place. This strengthens the notion that territoriality is a process. This study also deconstructed the notion of ‘sectorial-ego’, an Indonesian-specific term for silo mentality. This ego represents territoriality as an expressed behaviour and in order to change, public organisations need to be able to manage their territories, by deterritorialising vertical interests and at the same time, compromising their territories horizontally, in the context of interorganisational collaboration

E-government na Gestão de Stakeholders

A presente investigação avoca um posicionamento instrumental do e-government, perspectivando-o como um meio, não um fim, e efectua a sua análise a partir de uma abordagem pragmática da teoria dos stakeholders, tal como defendida por Freeman (2008). Foi adoptado um posicionamento ontológico relativista, epistemológico interpretativista e metodológico baseado no recurso à utilização da estratégia de estudos de caso. O trabalho envolveu 3 organizações públicas, com características díspares e com recolha de dados maioritariamente ancorada a 2 instrumentos, questionário e entrevista, ambos semi-estruturados. Partindo dos atributos poder, legitimidade e urgência, enunciados por Mitchell, Agle e Wood (1997), fundamentos da “stakeholders salience”, bem como das variáveis utilidade e facilidade de uso, presentes nos modelos de aceitação da tecnologia, variáveis transparência e segurança, reforçadas pela governança, bem como as variáveis interoperabilidade, eficiência e inclusão, é desenvolvido o modelo MEGOV, modelo fundeado em cinco proposições. Os resultados da investigação sustentam 3 conclusões principais e suportam o modelo MEGOV. A primeira consiste no facto do e-government condicionar a prioritização de stakeholders. Tal situação é consequência do e-government alterar a percepção de urgência das solicitações, reduzir o poder discricionário e modificar a forma como a legitimidade é exposta, embora se considere que, directamente, a legitimidade das solicitações efectuadas pelos diversos stakeholders não é alterada. As eventuais alterações na prioritização de stakeholders podem acarretar a consideração que o e-government é uma ameaça aos interesses instalados, situação que leva a que sejam desencadeados comportamentos hostis ao seu recurso, comportamentos esses que podem comprometer o sucesso da sua implementação e efectivo aproveitamento. A segunda conclusão é a que o e-government é um instrumento capaz de redesenhar as organizações públicas ao obrigar a modificar processos, ao permitir compilar um vasto conjunto de indicadores que, de outra forma, seriam muito mais difíceis de obter e ao atribuir uma maior visibilidade aos procedimentos. Contudo esse redesenho não implica uma mudança no organograma, pelo menos no curto prazo. Essencialmente, modifica processos mas não funções. Independentemente do nível de maturidade do e-government, por si só, também não acarreta downsizing. Prevalece a tentativa de manutenção dos conteúdos funcionais, independentemente de ajustamentos pontuais que possam ocorrer. A terceira conclusão é que o e-government altera significativamente a eficiência, principalmente ao incrementar a velocidade das respostas, ao estimular o reaproveitamento de dados e ao aumentar bastante as possibilidades de exercício da função de controlo. Se ao nível da inclusão não foram encontradas evidências que possibilitem afirmar que um maior recurso ao egovernment tenha permitido envolver um maior número de stakeholders nos processos de tomada de decisão, já ao nível da eficiência verifica-se crescimento. A inclusão é maioritariamente perspectivada enquanto mero aumento da possibilidade de acesso. Finalmente, não se encontraram evidências que a gestão das relações com os stakeholders não siga, exclusivamente, um panorama instrumental. As inquietações posicionadas no domínio da responsabilidade social são apenas aquelas que a lei consagra. E ainda assim tendem a ser geridas estrategicamente, a partir de um enfoque instrumental. / A B S T R A C T - The present research is based in an instrumental perspective of e-government. Its analysis is made from a pragmatic approach of the stakeholder theory, as defended by Freeman (2008). This study involved three public organizations, with different characteristics and it assumed a relativist ontological positioning. At the epistemological level it is an interpretive research. At the methodological level it uses the strategy of case studies. The data collection was supported by two semi-structured instruments, questionnaires and interviews. From the attributes power, legitimacy and urgency, cited by Mitchell, Agle, and Wood (1997), foundations of stakeholder salience, as well as utility and easiness of use, variables presents in technology acceptance models, variables transparency and safety from governance, interoperability, efficiency and inclusion, it is developed the MEGOV model. The results of this study support three main conclusions and sustain the MEGOV model. The first conclusion is that e-government changes the stakeholders’ prioritization, by changing the perception of urgency of requests and the way that legitimacy is exposed, although it doesn’t consider, directly, the change of legitimacy of requests made by the various stakeholders. E-government also reduces discretionary power. Moreover any changes in the prioritization of stakeholders may lead to the consideration that it is a threat to vested interests. This situation can trigger hostile behaviour and frustrate the implementation of e-government. The second conclusion is that e-government is an instrument capable of redesign public organizations by requiring the change of processes. It also gives greater visibility to them as well as a large set of indicators, that otherwise would be much more difficult to obtain. However, this redesign does not imply a change in the organizational structure, at least in short term. It essentially modifies processes but not functions. Alone, e-government does not entail downsizing, regardless of its maturity level. The attempt to maintain the functional contents prevails, regardless of specific adjustments that may occur. The third conclusion is that e-government improves, significantly, efficiency. It also increases the speed of responses and encourages the reuse of data. Moreover, it greatly increases the possibilities of control function exercises. At the level of inclusion, there were not found evidences (that showed) that a greater use of e-government had allowed engaging a greater number of stakeholders in the making of decision procedures. Yet at the efficiency level there was growth. The inclusion is mostly viewed as a mere possibility of increase the access. Finally, there were not found evidences that the management of stakeholders’ relationships does not follow just an instrumental landscape. The concerns positioned in the social responsibility field are only those established by the law and still they tend to be strategically managed from an instrumental approach