US to up spending on information security: US federal government spending on information security is set to exceed USD7 billion by fiscal 2010, according to a new report from Input, the government market analyst firm. The report forecasts that spending will increase 20 percent over the next five years from USD6.1 billion in fiscal 2005 to USD7.3 billion in 2010. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, information security has become the single most critical component of information systems investment for federal agencies, causing a steady increase in IT expenditure, the Input study says. "We're seeing the focus on information security gain momentum as homeland security initiatives have begun to normalise," according to Chris Campbell, senior analyst, federal market analysis, Input. "Over the past few years we have seen a rise in crippling network viruses, and federal agencies are realising their current systems are not enough to fend off attacks and breaches... During the current growth stage, there are many new opportunities for vendors to provide security products and services to federal agencies in the near term."
Daewoo wins Myanmar IT contract: The government of Myanmar in Southeast Asia has signed a contract to computerise its government ministries, according to a report in the Korea Herald. A consortium led by international investment firm Daewoo International was awarded a USD12 million contract to provide network infrastructure for the central government. Under the terms of the contract, Daewoo, along with database management systems supplier KCOMS, will connect 38 government ministries to a broadband network and computerise the government's personnel management system. "As we have secured the first part of Myanmar's grand e-governance plan, this will have a positive impact on our potential to win subsequent contracts in the country and also enter other Southeast Asian markets," said Daewoo International President Lee Tae-yong. "This development will also serve as a crucial stimulus for the depressed domestic IT industry, by demonstrating that local IT technologies could make inroads into the potentially huge Southeast Asian market."
E-gov conference looks towards 'i-government': Strategic focus and internal cooperation among agencies are essential in order to make e-government a reality, attendees at a conference held by the Dubai School of Government (DSG) were told. According to a report by AME Info, the two-day event, entitled "From e-government to i-government: how information government will revolutionise the public sector," was attended by Arab and international academics, policy makers, and government officials. Summing up the events of the conference, Professor Viktor Mayer-Schoenberger from Harvard said that "current incentives for e-government are resulting in traditional electronic government implementation, but fail to stimulate the comprehensive activities that will foster true information government." He advised governments to "accept responsibility for implementation at a strategic rather than operational level, to ensure the full development of quality information flows and a strongly interactive public sector." Meanwhile, Cisco Systems representative Ghazi Atallah noted that "technology is the key enabler, but those delivering public services through new channels also have to work differently, breaking down inter-departmental silos and working seamlessly across interoperable networks."
Satisfaction falls after outsourcing: UK study: User satisfaction with council ICT services was found to decrease significantly if the services were outsourced, according to a study carried out by Socitm, an organisation of local government IT managers in the UK. In a study of ten councils that use IT outsourcing and 75 that use in-house providers, user satisfaction was 13 percent lower with the "outsourced" councils than with the non-outsourced authorities. Four out of the ten councils using outsourcing achieved a user satisfaction score of less than 4 out of 7; only three of the 75 in-house IT councils had a satisfaction score of less than 4. Socitm also found that some of the councils experienced declines of up to 32 percent in their satisfaction ratings after they switched to outsourcing. The report noted similar declines in the perception of value for money and the performance of the ICT unit for councils that made the move to outsource IT functionality.
UK council launches TextVibe service: The local authority in Darlington in the UK is about to launch a text messaging service aimed at encouraging young people to become more involved in civic life. The borough council's Leisure, Arts and Youth Services division will launch TextVibe on 1 June. Young people who register for the service can sign up to receive information about events taking place in the area, as well as have an opportunity to make suggestions on how to improve life in Darlington. The council will also send out questions via SMS to registered users to find out what they think of local issues such as transport and sports facilities. Around 2,000 young people have signed up to the service so far. Anyone who signs up is also given a wristband that features the Youth Services' web address and telephone number.
Autor: Sylvia Leatham
Quelle: ElectricNews, 26.05.2005
