Value Assessment of e-Government Service from Municipality Perspective

Value assessment of e-government services remains a challenging task. In this study, we apply a value creation model of electronic business and value for money assessment approach of e-government service in an attempt to better understand value creation from the municipality perspective. By conducting semi-structured interviews and analysis of e-government service data we investigate how digital service creates value in public services focusing on the municipality perspective. We present the identified sources of value and the indicators of value that could be derived from the analysis of data from the service. We discuss the complementary findings from performing value assessment using e-commerce and e-government models, the limitations of conducting value assessment of e-government services and performing financial analysis, and conclude with directions for future research.

Value-in-use of e-maintenance in service provision: survey analysis and future research agenda

Servitisation strategies entail many benefits to manufacturing industry. In this context, e-maintenance can bring support to new industrial services by enhancing the effectiveness of service delivery processes, thus, improving the ultimate benefits obtained by service provision. This article presents a study on the value-in-use that different technological innovations can offer to maintenance service provision. The final results of a survey capturing experts’ knowledge into a method for value analysis are discussed and eventually a future research agenda is suggested to investigate further how the use of e-maintenance technologies can potentiate the value-in-use of industrial service provision

E-finance-lab at the House of Finance : about us

The financial services industry is believed to be on the verge of a dramatic [r]evolution. A substantial redesign of its value chains aimed at reducing costs, providing more efficient and flexible services and enabling new products and revenue streams is imminent. But there seems to be no clear migration path nor goal which can cast light on the question where the finance industry and its various players will be and should be in a decade from now. The mission of the E-Finance Lab is the development and application of research methodologies in the financial industry that promote and assess how business strategies and structures are shared and supported by strategies and structures of information systems. Important challenges include the design of smart production infrastructures, the development and evaluation of advantageous sourcing strategies and smart selling concepts to enable new revenue streams for financial service providers in the future. Overall, our goal is to contribute methods and views to the realignment of the E-Finance value chain. ..

A commentary on social & experiential (e-)retailing and (e-)shopping deserts

Purpose – The last ten years have seen a gradual withdrawal of retail facilities from many local areas and the consequent growth of ‘shopping deserts’, resulting in social and health disbenefits. This paper examines the potential for e-shopping to fill the vacuum and to assist disadvantaged shoppers. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses prior published research to comment on the extent to which e-retailing may be the shopping solution of the future? Findings – The Internet has limited potential to compensate for shopping deserts, as consumers who do not have a good range of physical shops within walking distance also tend to lack access to the Internet. Research limitations/implications – The paper is based solely on prior research. The authors recommend action research that may hopefully help excluded shoppers to become more included by addressing the problems of access to e-shopping. Practical implications – Government, service providers and e-retailers are may consider interventions such as subsidised Internet access, training and the provision of e-cash. Originality/value – The paper links research from diverse fields relating to shopping deserts, the digital divide, health, wellbeing, social and experiential aspects of (e-)shopping

E‐mental health strategy for Australia

The Australian Government, through this Strategy, is moving from funding a small number of proven and successful online mental health and telephone crisis support services, to a respected, evidence based, accessible, professionally recognised and integrated e-mental health service environment.Research in Australia and internationally shows that outcomes for those who participate in online therapies are broadly comparable to those of face to face services using similar treatment techniques. E-mental health services are accessible, allowing people to access these services at a time and place that is convenient to them, and offer an effective alternative to conventional treatments for people who live in areas with limited services, have difficulty with transport or are reluctant to engage with face to face services. Underpinning this expansion is the current investment that has been undertaken by the Australian Government through a number of e-mental health services under the Telephone Counselling, Self Help and Web-based Support Programme, which commenced in 2006. This program has demonstrated the value of e-mental health services and provided insight into service gaps and future opportunities for the continued development of online and telephone services. &nbsp

An Investigation into Implementing E-commerce Workflow in the Digital Print Market

The Print Industry is gradually changing into IT technology based service provider as new services and technologies are continuously being introduced. It is vital for print service providers to keep abreast of these changes and provide custom solutions for their customers. E-commerce solutions are some of the value-added services that print service providers offer. Digital printing is one of the fastest growing sectors in the Print Industry, with revenues increasing by 129 percent from 2000 to 2005 (Smyth, 2005 p. 23). Combined, e-commerce capabilities and digital printing can provide a service that fulfills the customers\u27 requirements for fast turnaround times and on-demand printing. The following study explored the current conditions of e-commerce enabled applications in the digital print market. Seven interviews were conducted with digital print service providers that are involved in e-commerce software solutions. This study investigated the current enablers and barriers in implementing e-commerce solutions in the digital print market, in addition to providing future predictions for implementing these services. The study showed that the future of the Print Industry consists of companies that are able to embrace new technology. Print service providers are merging with IT and marketing companies to provide their customers with shorter turnaround times, wide variety of services and up to date technology at low cost. These companies have the success factors needed to survive in the future print market

SERVQUAL as a socio-technical approach to measuring e-government service quality and guiding e-governance strategies

e-Government services and e-governance have been embraced in many African countries. Nonetheless, measuring the value of e-government remains a challenge. Key to a successful evaluation of progress towards e-governance is the contextual approach, in which ICT is embedded as part of a holistic solution to governance. When carried through without considering the complementary influences of society on ICT and of ICT on society, e-government services can lead to little added value, or even to an exacerbation of societal problems and lack of progress towards e-governance. Although much has been written on e-governance in Africa, few authors have extended the discussion to measuring quality of service and lack of progress towards e-governance. In South Africa, the Batho Pele (People First) policy of service quality is the contextual approach within which e-governance is embedded, because of its good governance attributes. This article relates Batho Pele to SERVQUAL, a framework widely used to measure customer service quality in the retail sector, and adapts the framework for measuring service quality in community e-government service centres, known as Thusong Service Centres (TSC). The analysis, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), is consistent with what is known: service quality in TSCs is low and requires regular measurement and evaluation to inform future quality improvements. The article argues that an adapted SERVQUAL instrument, taking into account Batho Pele principles and situational context, can be used as a guide to innovation in e-government service delivery. It is an appropriate sociotechnical tool to collect data to inform e-governance strategies in African countries which share the same social context as South Africa.http://link.wits.ac.za/journal/journal.htmlam201

Personal eBanking Solutions Based on Semantic Web Services

We describe how Semantic Web Service technology can be used for the provision of personal e-banking online services. We describe two deployed applications: an overdraft notification service and a mortgage comparison service. The former accesses the bank accounts of a user as well as utility goods Web sites where invoicing information is stored and estimates whether the user will be in an overdraft situation in the near future, alerting him/her by e-mail or SMS. The latter accesses the mortgage information provided by the heterogeneous Web sites of different banks and allows users to compare them according to different types of criteria. The chapter not only focuses on the technological decisions followed to implement and deploy these services, but also on the added value of applying Semantic Web Services for them

Value Propositions of Implemented e-Government Projects: Towards Developing a Framework From a Systematic Review

This study aims to develop a framework that identifies and measures the value propositions of implemented e-Government projects. Consequently, the study conducted a systematic review using a concept-centric and thematic approach by reviewing 84 articles as primary research data. In doing so, it identified: (1) effective public organizations; (2) quality service delivery; (3) open government and democratic value; and (4) social value and well-being. Furthermore, two gaps were identified, namely a dearth of studies on the measures well as actualization, and sustainability of the value propositions. The study synchronized the identified value propositions to develop a framework for value propositions of implemented e-Government projects. While multiple theoretical perspectives were advocated for this includes affordance actualization theory grounded in realist evaluation and self-determination theory. This was done to uncover the contextual conditions and mechanisms that will foster the actualization and sustainability of the identified value propositions of implemented e-Government projects as a future research direction

Implementation of connected and autonomous vehicles in cities could have neutral effects on the total travel time costs: modeling and analysis for a circular city

Autonomous vehicles promise to revolutionize the automobile market, although their implementation could take several decades in which both types of cars will coexist on the streets. We formulate a model for a circular city based on continuous approximations, considering demand surfaces over the city. Numerical results from our model predict direct and indirect effects of connected and autonomous vehicles. Direct effects will be positive for our cities: (a) less street supply is needed to accommodate the traffic; (b) congestion levels decrease: travel costs may decrease by 30%. Some indirect effects will counterbalance these positive effects: (c) a decrease of 20% in the value of travel time can reduce the total cost by a third; (d) induced demand could be as high as 50%, bringing equivalent total costs in the future scenario; (e) the vehicle-kilometers traveled could also affect the future scenario; and (f) increases in city size and urban sprawl. As a conclusion, the implementation of autonomous vehicles could be neutral for the cities regarding travel time costs. City planning agencies still have to promote complementary modes such as active mobility (walking and bicycle), transit (public transportation), and shared mobility (shared autonomous vehicles and mobility as a service).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version