Mission: “G-Services for regional economic and social development”
The G-Solutions unit identifies, develops and orchestrates product-independent eServices which are relevant for the development of an entire region. It follows a holistic approach in which targeted eServices are selected to achieve development in a region or in rural area. The basic premise underlying this work is that, in combination, an array of certain eServices such as telemedicine, eWork/telecommuting, distance learning and so on can have a profound impact upon economic development. In the industrial age, our economic infrastructure was made up of streets and highways; today our economic infrastructure is based on broadband networks which different private or semi-private eServices use to work, communicate and deliver services. G-Solutions supports economic and human development from a regional perspective for developed, emerging and developing countries.
- eHealth and Telemedicine
We provide concrete advice and assistance on how to use eHealth and telemedicine to reduce the negative public health effects of underdevelopment or under-population in a region. Medical prevention, diagnosis and even treatment options can be substantially improved using ICT, for example through the electronic transmission of X-ray photographs, blood samples, and EKG results. In this way, better care can be provided to patients at elevated risk for heart disease or diabetes. Using telemedicine, patients in poor or rural areas can consult with physicians and specialists located hundreds or thousands of kilometres away, improving diagnostic and treatment results and helping to compensate for the lack of specialists in the local area. - Distance Learning
Drawing upon our practical experience in similar projects, we help school districts and other educational institutions establish distance learning programs. Using distance learning, students in rural areas can be taught without even having to travel to a school building – which in some areas may be located more than an hour away. Through the skillful use of presentation technology and teleconferencing, the existing number of subject-matter teachers in rural areas can be optimally utilized and the bussing of school students can be reduced or even eliminated. Lessons in one school can be instantly transmitted to other schools in the same area, allowing several classes to share one teacher at the same time. It is also possible to transmit the lesson directly into the students’ homes. - Citizens Service Management
The G-Group brings its expertise in real-world citizen service projects to bear to help governments dramatically improve the provision of citizen services in rural or metropolitan areas. For example, telephone or internet-based services make it possible for citizens to instantly request and receive services in even the most remote of areas. Mobile citizen service centers based on ICT mean that services can be provided directly to small towns and villages in which a full-time government office would not be economical. ICT also makes it possible for staff in one government office – a village town hall, for example – to provide the services of another level of government, such as a county, regional administration or even the neighboring village. Such technologies can be successfully implemented in thinly populated rural areas or in the largest of metropolises. Often, the utilization of ICT in such projects brings with it a wide range of side benefits, such as additional statistical information, information about citizen concerns, and improved quality and performance control. - eWork/Telecommuting
Using ICT, employees can work for their employer from their home computer or from nearby satellite offices. For the employer, the employee is seamlessly integrated into the corporate work and communications structure. In rural, underdeveloped and remote areas, the establishment of eWork office facilities equipped with broadband access and the latest ICT technology can serve as a base of operations for a professional class of high-skilled telecommuters working for corporations on the other side of the country or the world. This can have a correspondingly significant impact upon the economy of a small community, stopping the “brain drain” of trained personnel to large cities, reducing long and expensive commutes, and potentially halting population decline. The G-Group has experience in consulting with local governments to establish such eWork centers and can provide assistance to other organizations interested in creating them.
- Broadband
Broadband access is an important factor in the economic development of a region. Communities with broadband internet access enjoy considerable advantages in attracting employers, creating jobs, and improving their overall quality of life. For example, high-speed internet access offers residents the ability to do things as diverse as access bank services, interact with government, work from home, download online purchases of music, or even attend online training courses. Internet access is also an increasingly important location factor for businesses. - Access Channels
A variety of access channels is an important success factor in the provision of eServices and citizens services. eGovernment solutions are not only based on the new technologies of email, teleconferencing and world-wide-web communications but must also integrate more “traditional” communications channels such as mail, telephone, fax and face-to-face interactions to truly be effective. Different channels are best suited to certain types of interactions, and different demographic groups tend to utilize different channels, facts which must be taken into account when planning eGovernment solutions to achieve optimal results. The G-Group can help you identify which access channels are necessary for your process, service or interaction and can assist you in implementing and exploiting such channels to your best advantage.
G-Solutions is available to actively manage the selection and implementation of the above-mentioned services and infrastructure to promote economic development and quality of life in a region. In such projects, which take a holistic approach, G-Solutions follows a proven process which consists of five overall steps:
- Potentials and Needs Analysis
Data is collected and the situation is mapped. A comprehensive potentials and needs analysis of the region is performed which takes relevant legal, social, economic, infrastructure, demographic and other factors into account. - Selection/Identification of eService
On the basis of the potentials and needs analysis, appropriate eServices and infrastructure projects are determined which are specifically targeted for the region. - Development of eService Roadmap
The relevant eServices are discussed and verified with decision-makers. Operating models are developed, and an eService roadmap is compiled which then serves as the basis for implementing these services. - Implementation
The relevant services are then implemented. Providers are selected, contracts are negotiated and, once in operation, the services are continually evaluated. The implementation is also subject to a controlling process. - Evaluation
After implementation, the services are evaluated, especially in respect to their usage and their overall impact.