E-service in the Public Sector

E-technologies are increasingly being recognised as effective tools that can foster an environment of improved service, transparency and improved governance within the public sector. Today, access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) plays an essential role in economic and social development. As public interest in the Internet and e-technology solutions continues to grow, there is an increasing expectation that they will be utilised in national and local governments for more efficient supply and value chain management and for improving public access to information and services. E-technology has become a catalyst for enabling more effective government through better access to services and the democratic process. There is much debate over the roleand the value of e-service within public sector organizations.This paper examines the effectiveness of e-services within the public sector with a focus on four specific facets of effectiveness: the view of management and e-technology strategists; social, cultural and ethical implications; the implications of lack of access to e-technology infrastructure; and the customers’ (citizens’) view of the usefulness and success of e-service initiatives with reference to a case study of a local government eservice initiative within New Zealand

The Impact of Ineffective ITG on IT Deployment: A Study of Failed IT Deployment Initiatives

Organizations continue to make significant investments in Information Technology (IT) to enable business. To ensure a return on investment in IT, there is a need for a wider accountability focus on strategic technology initiatives alongside a structured and evaluative approach to the effective governance of IT. Throughout the last decade, systems, processes, standards and best practice frameworks have been developed to facilitate effective IT governance. However, IT deployment initiatives seem to fail to deliver outcomes This paper examines the impact of effective IT governance (ITG) on IT deployment. Literature review establishes the influencers (indicators) of effective ITG. A multiple case study analysis of failed IT deployment initiatives identifies key influencers (and indicators) of deployment failure. Finally, the outcome of the case study analysis is mapped back to the indicators of effective ITG derived from the literature review to determine a possible connection between failed IT deployment and ineffective IT governance

Failed IT projects: is poor IT governance to blame?

The external knowledge acquisition and the internal knowledge transfer are both critical to the development of organisational knowledge stock. The two processes must be managed closely together if the effect of knowledge stock development for innovation is to be maximised. However, it is often a challenge to many organisations to realise their knowledge stock. Using a design science research methodology, this paper considers the problem of enabling knowledge transfer through the assessment of knowledge stock. Our contribution in this research-in-progress paper is to present a conceptual framework for knowledge transfer enabling innovation. We develop a Decision Support System (DSS) prototype to identify knowledge stock measured in terms of ICT skills using the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). We simulate the DSS prototype to measure knowledge stock at individual and organisational level. A comprehensive evaluation of the DSS in the knowledge management context is planned for future research

Technology assisted education: An overview of success factors

This paper elaborates on the role of digital and web technologies in learning. It discusses that technology alone cannot deliver successful learning outcomes. In rolling out technology-enabled learning solutions a range of other factors must be taken into consideration. A model for technology-based learning values and pilot study of a group of technology-enabled digital learning initiatives in institutions are presented to highlight the importance of people and process related factors alongside technology. The outcome of this preliminary study is presented; it indicates no significant strategic gains were derived from the use of web-technologies

A Conceptual Model to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Information Technology Governance

Information Technology (IT) solutions have become a key enabling tool in businesses. As the investment in IT continues to grow, there has been an ongoing debate on the need for a structured and evaluative approach to the effective governance of IT solutions. Achieving key IT Governance (ITG) outcomes is consistently ranked as one of the top concerns of management. Within the last decade, motivated by technological advancements, we have witnessed significant changes in the IT landscape. Previous studies about ITG seem to have concentrated predominantly on structure, processes, and mechanisms. The field appears to lack research on the current role and effectiveness of ITG. The paper reports on a systematic literature review of ITG. It proposes conceptual models to determine the role and effectiveness of ITG practices. The review was based on 121 relevant journal articles, conference papers, and industry (or professional bodies) published reports. The qualitative analysis of the eligible 75 articles was conducted in two stages. The first stage involved the identification of factors within a selected subset of articles. The second phase continued with the qualitative analysis of the remaining articles validating the identified factors. Based on the analysis of the final 75 (out of 171) sources, the paper proposes a conceptual model of ITG effectiveness that takes into consideration both internal and external influences. The paper contributes to the theory of ITG by proposing a conceptual model of three broad themes of influencers representing both practitioners’ and strategists’ views – including ITG maturity, strategic alignment of IT and business, and organisational performance influenced by IT. The paper recommends future studies guided by the proposed conceptual model to validate the model and extend the outcomes of this study