E-Government

Abstract

THE POLITICS OF MARKETING THE LABOUR PARTY Wring, Dominic. Basingstoke: Palgrave Press, 2005, 262 pages. Reviewed by Dr. Paul Baines     

E-Government in Action

Abstract

Singapore was ranked second in Accenture's e-Government Leadership study in the years 2000, 2001, and 2002. As an innovative leader in e-government, Singapore strives to achieve the concept of “Many Agencies, One Government” by delivering services that are integrated from the customer's viewpoint, regardless of the number of agencies involved in providing the service. The Singapore e-Government Action Plan was launched in June 2000 with the vision of transforming public service into a leading e-government program to better serve the nation in the digital economy.     

Customer-Oriented E-Government

Abstract

E-govemment's next phase-a seamless, customer-oriented Web presence-faces more formidable barriers to development than did earlier advances. Progress toward customer-focused e-government requires fundamental organizational changes to existing bureaucracies, so that the government's Web presence can be comprehensive, efficient, and easy for citizens to use. To compel individual “stovepipe” agencies to develop a combined Web presence, chief information officers must be able to focus political and bureaucratic resources on making government websites truly customer-centric. The rewards for success in this next stage of e-government are significantnot only will it benefit citizens directly, but integrated e-government can also make offline government more efficient and effective.     

E-Government in New Zealand

Abstract

Although it has just 4 million people and an economy which is almost entirely based on agriculture, New Zealand has been nominated by the UN as the world's third most advanced in e-government.

That might surprise foreigners but not Kiwis, who have always had a rapid uptake of new technology. Leading the country into an electronic world is the E-Government Unit, which is charged with coordinating and integrating e-services across all government agencies. Some of the solutions are original but New Zealand has not hesitated to scour the world for best-of-practices solutions and modify them to its own environment.     

论电子政务与行政效率

电子政务已经成为各级政府转变职能,创新管理方式,提高行政能力的重要途径和手段,是全方位提高行政效率的一场革命。要从实际出发,探讨加快电子政务建设提高行政效率有效的途径。     

American E-Government at the Crossroads

Abstract

This article reports analyses, findings, conclusions and implications about the first U.S. survey of Web sites of 223 major American cities with populations of 100,000 or more. The national survey sought to provide one of the most comprehensive reviews of, and current and future implications regarding, Web site uses by major cities as well as optimal uses by features and user benefits. It made concrete suggestions for future uses of governmental Web-strategy development. Completed in June 2001, the study sought particularly to evaluate how American cities are incorporating online services into their constituency services. Analyses and findings indicated that many major U.S. cities were advancing their e-gov-ernment initiatives and virtually all cities acknowledged the importance of a basic Web presence. However, a large gap still remained between current practice and Optimal, Ml online potential.     

Creating a Blueprint for E-Government

Abstract

In 2001 the nonprofit Council for Excellence in Government published E-Government: The Next American Revolution, a vision of what full electronic government in America could accomplish and a blueprint of how to get there. It was the product of an unprecedented collaboration, led by the Council, among 350 information technology experts in business, government, research, and the nonprofit sector nationwide. Recognizing e-government's considerable potential, these professionals were excited by the opportunity to suggest its design and help make it a reality. Administration actions and legislative proposals on e-government in several ways reflect the blueprint's recommendations. This is the story of the initiative and what it achieved.     

Advancing E-Government: Financing Challenges and Opportunities

As e-government evolves into the transactions stage, governments must grapple with how to finance the development of e-transactions. The authors argue that the externalities effects of electronic transactions suggest they are appropriately financed by some combination of public investment and user charges. We propose a self-financing model adhering to two basic requirements. A flexible pricing framework is the core of the self-financing model, as it embodies both the firm's and the government's perspectives. We assess basic assumptions of the pricing framework using contingent valuation methodology and a statewide survey of more than 400 firms. The empirical estimates we develop of the willingness to pay for e-transactions with state government and the theoretical discussion about the self-financing model form the basis for prescribing policy recommendations.     

Reinventing Local Governments and the E-Government Initiative

The Internet provides a powerful tool for reinventing local governments. It encourages transformation from the traditional bureaucratic paradigm, which emphasizes standardization, departmentalization, and operational cost-efficiency, to the "e-government" paradigm, which emphasizes coordinated network building, external collaboration, and customer services. Based on a content analysis of city Web sites and a survey of Web development officials, this article shows that many cities are already moving toward this new paradigm. These cities have adopted "onestop shopping" and customer-oriented principles in Web design, and they emphasize external collaboration and networking in the development process rather than technocracy. The article also analyzes the socioeconomic and organizational factors that are related to cities' progressiveness in Web development and highlights future challenges in reinventing government through Internet technology.     

The Effects of E-Government on Trust and Confidence in Government

Trust in government has been declining for more than three decades now. E-government has been proposed as a way to increase citizen trust in government and improve citizen evaluations of government generally. Using two-stage models to analyze recent Pew survey data, this research explores the relationship between e-government use, attitudes about e-government, and trust in government. There is a statistically significant relationship between trust and use of a local government Web site, as well as other positive assessments of federal and local governments. The evidence suggests that e-government can increase process-based trust by improving interactions with citizens and perceptions of responsiveness. The findings are theoretically important for reconciling the conflicting research on the effects of e-government and for understanding variations by level of government. Citizen attitudes toward government, including trust, are core concerns for democratic governance and public administration.     

电子政务绩效评估：经验与途径

电子政务是在当今信息时代,政府利用先进的信息通讯技术对传统的政府组织结构和办事流程的一次再造,其核心目标旨在实现一个开放的、有回应力的、透明的、办事高效率的服务型政府。发达国家或部门(如联合国经济与社会事务部、美国)在电子政务绩效评估方面积累了很多有益的经验。而我国的电子政务绩效评估只是处于摸索和尝试期,提高我国电子政务绩效评估水平的途径:一是政府、公民、社会第三方机构共同参与电子政务的绩效评估;二是建立一套科学的电子政务绩效评估指标体系;三是电子政务绩效评估需要法律的保障。     

我国电子政务发展的环境因素分析

受复杂环境因素的影响，电子政务在各个国家的发展结果不同。影响我国电子政务发展的环境因素主要体现在信患和通讯技术的普及程度、经济发展的水平、行政管理体制和人的素质这四个方面。     

Institutions, Policy Innovation, and E-Government in the American States

Examining the rankings of American states in one fast‐growing policy area, e‐government, states with the most sophisticated and comprehensive policies varied over a five‐year period. What factors account for change in digital government policy innovation over time? Using time‐series analysis and 50‐state data, the authors find that state institutional capacity is important for continued innovation. They also find an association between reinvention in state governments and the institutionalization of information technology, suggesting a more general orientation toward government reform and modernization. Although state wealth and education were not significant in previous studies, they emerge as predictors of later innovation. The theoretical contribution of this study is to better understand the dynamic character of innovation over time and the role of institutions. The link between reinvention and e‐government raises the possibility that the modernization of state institutions generally facilitates innovation.     

A Critical Decade Needs Deeper Analysis

Journal of Chinese Political Science -     

E-Government and the Transformation of Service Delivery and Citizen Attitudes

The impact of new technology on public-sector service delivery and citizens' attitudes about government has long been debated by political observers. This article assesses the consequences ofe-government for service delivery, democratic responsiveness, and public attitudes over the last three years. Research examines the content of e-government to investigate whether it is taking advantage of the interactive features of the World Wide Web to improve service delivery, democratic responsiveness, and public outreach. In addition, a national public opinion survey examines the ability of e-government to influence citizens' views about government and their confidence in the effectiveness of service delivery. Using both Web site content as well as public assessments, I argue that, in some respects, the e-government revolution has fallen short of its potential to transform service delivery and public trust in government. It does, however, have the possibility of enhancing democratic responsiveness and boosting beliefs that government is effective.     

The Evolution of E-Government among Municipalities: Rhetoric or Reality?

Information technology has become one of the core elements of managerial reform, and electronic government (e-government) may figure prominently in future governance. This study is designed to examine the rhetoric and reality of e-government at the municipal level. Using data obtained from the 2000 E-government Survey conducted by International City/County Management Association and Public Technologies Inc., the article examines the current state of municipal e-government implementation and assesses its perceptual effectiveness. This study also explores two institutional factors (size and type of government) that contribute to the adoption of e-government among municipalities. Overall, this study concludes that e-government has been adopted by many municipal governments, but it is still at an early stage and has not obtained many of expected outcomes (cost savings, downsizing, etc.) that the rhetoric of e-government has promised. The study suggests there are some widely shared barriers (lack of financial, technical, and personnel capacities) and legal issues (such as privacy) to the progress of municipal e-government. This study also indicates that city size and manager-council government are positively associated with the adoption of a municipal Web site as well as the longevity of the Web site.     

近十年来我国学界杜威思想研究述评

自1994年到2004年间我国学者在对杜威思想的研究中,撰写了大量有关杜威的教育及哲学思想的文章,其中技术哲学、传播哲学、社会哲学三个视角是近几年我国学者选取的新的切入点.从总体数量上看,我国学者有关杜威思想的文章大致呈递增趋势.这是因为,杜威对主客体的一致性的强调,同中国古代的天人合一的思维模式比较接近;杜威对行动的重要性的强调,比较接近于中国哲学注重实践的传统;杜威对民主的论述,顺应我国当今建立和谐社会的时代潮流;杜威强调的语言哲学观以及他对自然科学和人文价值的关系的格外重视,也是导致其思想复兴的主要原因;同时,美国实用主义的复兴为杜威思想在我国重新成为热点提供了契机.但我国杜威思想的研究中还存在一定问题:某些领域的研究没有进展和突破,有关杜威思想的学术译著的出版工作仍处于落后状态.因此建议:在基本理论研究方面,要深入原有的有关杜威思想问题的研究,同时,不断拓展新课题的研究,出版更多能够充分反应最新研究成果的学术论文和专著;对于杜威的著述和相关文献资料而言,可从加强杜威原著的翻译和介绍、以及加强其他人物评价杜威思想著作的翻译和介绍两个层面开展工作.