In fact a formal definition of e-government is the application of electronic means in first the interaction between government and citizens, second the interaction of government and businesses, and third to internal government operations, all with the aim of improving efficiency, improving transparency and reducing costs. This definition offers two perspectives of e-government - an external and an internal perspective. From an external perspective the objective of e-government is to fulfil the public's needs and expectations satisfactorily. By using Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), government is able to improve its speed of delivery of services, its transparency and even its accountability when dealing with the public and with businesses. This is commonly known as Government to Citizen interactions or G2C and Government to Business interaction or G2B.
From an internal perspective, the objective of e-government is to facilitate a speedy, transparent, efficient and effective processes for performing government internal activities. These internal interactions are commonly referred to as Government to Government interactions or simply G2G. Both perspectives offer significant improvements in customer service as well as significant reduction in costs.
From this definition it is clear that the objectives of e-government have to do with improving efficiency, effectiveness, customer satisfaction, transparency and even democracy. Efficiency as automated processes will be quicker and be less prone to errors. It will improve effectiveness and customer service as customers will receive the right goods when they want them and not when government wants to give it to them. It will improve transparency and democracy as electronic transactions can be viewed by more people and give more people access to information. No more paper files locked away in somebody's office.
These objectives are very similar to the objectives of public sector reform. In fact I believe that e-government is not a new tool or a new fad or even a new concept. It is simply a better tool to achieve public sector reform. While this idea may be obvious the implications are great as e-government is no longer seen as being in competition with other development needs such as health or education. E-overnment is now seen as an enabler of better health and better education. If we can improve our efficiency and effectiveness as a government by using ICT then the benefits to all other sectors are huge. Health will benefit. Education will benefit. Local Government will benefit. All sectors of government will reap huge rewards and hopefully at the same time see a reduction in their costs of service delivery.
E-government then is really about public sector reform and reform we know is never easy. The slow success of WITS, PMS and other reform programmes point to the challenges involved in forming the public sector. And when ICT is involved more concrete challenges are raised such as shortage of funds, and even inadequate infrastructure such as electricity and telephones. I believe the biggest challenge however is our own thinking! This challenge is both political and social. Many of our lawmakers know so little about ICT that they leave the thinking and the debates to the ICT professionals. As such the thinking is never subjected to the same level of scrutiny and rigor that thinking on other topics may receive. This attitude needs to change. Lawmakers must be educated as it is through education that they can begin to embrace new technology.
And as citizens we must also begin to accept the changes that will be brought about by the new reformed government. These changes mean less face to face interaction and more online interaction. These are difficult changes but we must prepare ourselves. As the great economist John Maynard Keynes once said: "The difficulty lies not in accepting the new ideas, but in letting go of the old." As citizens, we must be prepared to let go of the old way of operating and embrace the new way which could include electronic signatures, citizen smart passports and even on line voting.
In next week's article we examine what other governments are doing in terns of e-government. In particular, I will focus on South Africa and Mauritius and how they are using e-government to reform their public sectors.
Quelle: AllAfrica, 23.04.2004
