Empirical Investigation of the Role of Privacy and Data Protection in the Implementation of Electronic Government in Ghana

This study investigates the role of privacy and data protection in the implementation of e-government in developing countries. It examines the privacy and data protection issues which arise when e-government is introduced in Ghana. E-government is a way that governments liaise with their various departments and agencies through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Through e-government, governments are able to provide better, effective and efficient services to their citizens. This new form of governments’ delivering services electronically to their citizens, businesses and various departments potentially offers benefits (for example, economic development, low costs and improved services) to society. However the implementation of e-government carries potential risks to users. The potential for online identity theft and fraud raises privacy concerns. From a theoretical foundation, fieldwork in Ghana, through interviews and focus groups, is used to investigate the issue of privacy and data protection in e-government implementation in an empirical setting. Interviewees included senior civil servants, political leaders, members of the Select Committee on Communication, academics, university students as well as stakeholders from private and public organisations. The research borrowed from the Straussian grounded theory approach as a technique to analyse the fieldwork data. The results of the study indicate that privacy and data protection does not currently play a significant role in e-government implementation in a developing country such as Ghana. Other factors such as access to information and communication technologies (Internet accessibility) and e-skills were found to be challenges which significantly impact individuals’ use of e-government. The study found that there is a low privacy concern among Ghanaian citizens. This was found to be significantly related to a lack of awareness of privacy issues; and also the national cultural dimensions of Ghanaian society. The study concludes by emphasising the importance of government investing in ICT infrastructure and public education to raise awareness of e-government services, as well as privacy and data protection issues. Implications for research and policy makers are discussed. The study suggests future research to investigate the further impact of privacy awareness on individuals’ adoption of e-government in a collectivist society such as Ghana.Government of Ghan

The critical factors of e-government adoption: An empirical study in the Saudi Arabia public sectors

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 05/01/2007.This thesis draws on electronic government (e-govemment) policy formulation, implementation and execution. IT has been enthused by the perceived lack of a model for e-government in Saudi Arabia public sectors. A model for e-government implementation is developed for Saudi Arabia. It examines critical factors that have impacts on e-government implementation in Saudi public sectors by collecting and analysing data in both quantitative and qualitative approaches, and further presenting an extensive review on literature. This exercise is significant, to avoid the pitfalls of imposing universal approaches to research and policy practices. The conclusions and recommendations of this research are significant for both practitioners, in providing guidelines for e-government implementation, and scholars, in suggesting further research in the new area of e-government

Contending for the private sphere in a Guangzhou community.

Yeung Hoi-Shan Frances.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-101).Abstracts in English and Chinese.Abstract --- p.iAcknowledgments --- p.iiiChapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review and Methodology --- p.10Chapter 2.1 --- Civil society and democracyChapter 2.2 --- Civil society and public/ private dichotomyChapter 2.3 --- The private sphere as the cultural foundation of civil societyChapter 2.4 --- The boundary between public and private in Mao ChinaChapter 2.5 --- Reshaping of the boundary between public and private in post-Mao EraChapter 2.6 --- The cultural foundation of civil society of ChinaChapter 2.7 --- Residents' Committees of ChinaChapter 2.8 --- MethodologyChapter Chapter 3 --- Routines of Residents' CommitteesChapter 3.1 --- Dongshan District: pioneer of reforming Residents' Committees in Guangzhou --- p.29Chapter 3.2 --- Residents' Committee XChapter 3.3 --- Duties of juiweiChapter 3.4 --- The one-child policyChapter 3.5 --- Dengue Fever PreventionChapter 3.6 --- Clearances of security netsChapter 3.7 --- Leasehold house managementChapter Chapter 4 --- Opinions of Guangzhou Residents --- p.48Chapter 4.1 --- Life in the communityChapter 4.2 --- LingChapter 4.3 --- Mr. PengChapter 4.4 --- Mrs. TangChapter 4.5 --- Mr. SongChapter Chapter 5 --- Residents' Perceptions of the Private Sphere --- p.65Chapter 5.1 --- Four domains of the private sphereChapter 5.2 --- Perceptions of the four private domains of residentsChapter 5.3 --- The right to private property: a shield against intrusionChapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.83Chapter 6.1 --- Implications for the cultural foundation of civil society of ChinaChapter 6.2 --- Limitations of the study and suggestions for future researchBibliography --- p.9

Validation d'un modèle de gestion horizontale dans un contexte de gouvernement en ligne

Quatre cas d'intégration de services gouvernementaux ont été analysés : le Guichet unique des transporteurs, le Portail gouvernemental de services aux entreprises, le Système d'intégration d'information de justice et le Service québécois de changement d'adresse. L'objectif de la recherche consiste en une première validation d'un modèle conceptuel général relevant et explicitant les leviers de la gestion horizontale, qui pourra notamment servir de base de référence aux gestionnaires œuvrant dans le développement du gouvernement en ligne québécois, concernant la phase « élaboration du projet». Cette recherche est novatrice par sa mise en évidence des leviers de succès de la gouvernance des relations de partenariat interorganisationnel en considération des leçons tirées d'expériences québécoises d'intégration de services

The critical factors of e-government adoption : an empirical study in the Saudi Arabia public sectors

This thesis draws on electronic government (e-govemment) policy formulation, implementation and execution. IT has been enthused by the perceived lack of a model for e-government in Saudi Arabia public sectors. A model for e-government implementation is developed for Saudi Arabia. It examines critical factors that have impacts on e-government implementation in Saudi public sectors by collecting and analysing data in both quantitative and qualitative approaches, and further presenting an extensive review on literature. This exercise is significant, to avoid the pitfalls of imposing universal approaches to research and policy practices. The conclusions and recommendations of this research are significant for both practitioners, in providing guidelines for e-government implementation, and scholars, in suggesting further research in the new area of e-government.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Os cidadãos mais idosos (65+ anos) do concelho de Castelo Branco na utilização das TIC, e-Saúde e e-Governo local

Relatório de Investigação de Pós-Doutoramento em Ciências Sociais na especialidade de Políticas Sociais.Tendo em consideração o facto do concelho de Castelo Branco apresentar um dos índices de envelhecimento mais elevados de Portugal e sendo as Tecnologias da Informação e da Comunicação cada vez mais presentes em todas as rotinas diárias, pretendeu-se promover uma investigação que tivesse como prioridade uma revisão de literatura e a recolha de opiniões de cidadãos mais idosos (65 e mais anos) na combinação de duas variáveis: envelhecimento ativo e as tecnologias da informação e da comunicação (telemóvel, computador e internet). Sabendo-se que os cidadãos mais idosos recorrem com mais frequência aos cuidados de saúde e ao apoio da administração local, foram envolvidos médicos responsáveis por Centros e Saúde e Presidentes de Junta de Freguesia no sentido de poderem contribuir com as suas opiniões e com a sua experiência baseadas num contexto sociocultural próximo dos cidadãos mais idosos sob investigação, nas dimensões da e-Saúde e do e-Governo Local, respetivamente. Foram recolhidos dados em todas as 25 freguesias do concelho de Castelo Branco através de um questionário que envolveu 400 cidadãos mais idosos (65 e mais anos) e foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas a 6 médicos responsáveis por Centros de Saúde e a 15 Presidentes de Juntas de Freguesia. A análise e tratamento dos dados recolhidos pelo questionário e a análise de conteúdo das entrevistas permitiram a obtenção de informações claras e precisas relativamente à presente realidade e que, em consequência, vieram permitir um maior aprofundamento e reflexão crítica relativamente às medidas a tomar no futuro, através de uma utilização e inclusão das Tecnologias da Informação e da Comunicação no seio das rotinas diárias dos cidadãos que lhes venham a permitir uma mais adequado envelhecimento ativo e uma melhor qualidade de vida.ABSTRACT - Bearing in mind that Castelo Branco has one of the highest rates of aging in Portugal, and the fact that Information and Communication Technology has a presence in everybody’s daily routines, this research undertook a review of studies about the current state of this technology and the collected opinions of senior citizens (aged 65 and over) in terms of two variables: active aging and the use of information and communication technology (cellular phone, computer and the internet). Knowing that elderly people need greater access to health care and the support of local administrations, physicians who are responsible for Local Health Centers were involved in this study, as well as the heads of the district councils, in order to contribute their opinions and their experience, within a sociocultural context, about those senior citizens under investigation, by incorporating the dimensions of e-health and e-local government. Data was collected from all of the 25 districts of Castelo Branco through a questionnaire involving 400 senior citizens (aged 65 and over), and semi-structured interviews were conducted at 6 local health centers and with 15 heads of district councils. The analysis and the processing of data collected through questionnaires, together with content analysis of the interviews, allowed us to obtain clear and precise information on the present reality which, consequently, enabled greater analysis and critical reflection on the measures to be taken in the future, by means of the inclusion and use of Information and Communication Technologies within the daily routines of citizens to enable them to have a better experience of active aging and an enhanced quality of life

Risk Modelling at the Pre-Proposal Stages of eGovernment Service Projects

eGovernment is a relatively new, but rapidly expanding, domain; mainly due to the perceived outcomes that it may bring to the public administration. Founded on the premise that eGovernment programmes may increase efficiency and effectiveness, decrease costs and enhance the quality of public services, governments invest heavily on such implementations. But here is a perplexing contrast; so far, many of such projects experience a high failure rate. That is realised in many facets; endless delays, and excessive costs, or complete cancellations are frequently observed. The reasons behind that can be many. However, such situation may be avoided or at least better handled through appropriate risk-based methods applied during the early stages of eGovernment project considerations. Within that context this thesis investigates the modelling of risk for eGovernment projects at the early, pre-proposal stages. The interpretative qualitative study described in this thesis provides a 'first stab' in a previously weakly explored, but important, area of eGovernment research. It is therefore the main objective of this thesis to examine the relevance of risk modelling during the pre-proposal phase of eGovernment service projects. To achieve that objective, this thesis devises and employs a risk modelling tool; a design that incorporates an e5ervke model and eGovernment risk taxonomy, allowing its users to identify pertinent project risk statements that may be exploited at later risk assessment exercises.So as to accomplish the defined objective, this thesis is arranged in an order that covers all stages of the research process. These include an understanding of the eGovernment domain by expanding - amongst others - on the various eGovernment modelling, evolution, and evaluation methods as well as a discussion on eGovernment benefits, and its failure factors.Equally, a part is dedicated on elaborating upon eGovernment risk and the existing methods to model it. A prototype risk modelling tool is developed in order to be used as a probe that is assessed and evaluated in the field by domain experts and practitioners. The thesis concludes by gathering qualitative data and analysing the grounded findings received from a series of interviews and workshops.With reference to the findings addressing the thesis' main research question, the conducted study shows that risk modelling has effectively no applicability during the pre-proposal stages of eGovernment service projects. This study argues that althoughrisk modelling has a recognised value, employing it is really futile at such early phase. It is primarily so, because at that point risk does not appear to carry enough weight to influence the decision-making process. Equally, this research finds that it is the political leadership that hands down the project ideas and the IT/IS project management staff simply implement. Even if risk modelling tools were employed by the ITIIS project management staff, the risk modelling output would be pointless as they have limited input into the decision-making process. The study's findings also led this thesis to produce a conceptual framework for risk modelling, as well as relevant lessons to be learnt. The thesis elaborates on what risk modelling is expected to deliver and how it should look like. The findings have alsofurther enhanced the risk modelling tool developed for this research, and generally propose new avenues for further research work in the domain