e-Government Internal Perspectives

motivation motivation – why do governments adopt an e-orientation – why do departments/senior managers adopt an e- orientation? requirements requirements – what drives the standards governments must meet – what must be done differently? challenges challenges – what problems must be overcome? perils perils – what hazards might be posed by this type of reorientation

Internal Perspectives – Motivation of Departments client demands client demands efficiency and effectiveness efficiency and effectiveness political support for e-government strategy political support for e-government strategy interdepartmental leadership interdepartmental leadership

Internal Perspectives – Potential Uses external external – G2C – G2B – G2G internal internal – communications Intranets Intranets – integrated human resource management – e-procurement

Internal Perspectives – e-procurement process costs for purchasing orders process costs for purchasing orders – currently $130 per order anticipated return on e-procurement anticipated return on e-procurement – 300% (Deloitte Consulting)

Internal Perspectives -- Requirements external demands driving approach to e- government external demands driving approach to e- government – e.g. private sector makes personalization the norm – ease of access – e.g. portals

The Crossing Boundaries Project what boundaries do you think they are referring to?? what boundaries do you think they are referring to?? – interdepartmental – intergovernmental

Internal Perspectives -- Requirements improved access improved access adequate infrastructure adequate infrastructure – cooperation

Internal Perspectives – Organizational Requirements “Portals are not just a better way for customers to access their government; they are governments’ blueprint to a new paradigm of operation.”Deloitte, 2001 “Portals are not just a better way for customers to access their government; they are governments’ blueprint to a new paradigm of operation.”Deloitte, 2001 silo organizational structure transformed silo organizational structure transformed – networks – “collaborative clusters supported by centralised shared processes” two caveats two caveats – single window delivery is not new concept – change in operation or organization? is this just creating new silos? is this just creating new silos?

Internal Perspectives -- Requirements improved access improved access adequate infrastructure adequate infrastructure – cooperation appropriate program design appropriate program design

Internal Perspectives – Technical Challenges technical technical – integrated infrastructure “federated architecture” “federated architecture” – IT workforce – however...challenges are not primarily technical

Internal Perspectives – Political Challenges internal resistance? internal resistance? – all organization changes (no matter how small) are political generate winners and losers generate winners and losers potential losers will resist changes! potential losers will resist changes!

Internal Perspectives – Political Challenges interdepartmental cooperation interdepartmental cooperation – “...in the private sector significant changes in organizational structure have followed technological investment. In governments, by contrast, technology investment has only led to increased transaction intensity and, in some cases, the slicing off of government activities to new forms. We have not seen the structure within government change – flattening the vertical nature of government, decentralizing dealings with the public and centralizing policy, to mirror private-sector adaptations.” Schachter 1999 – “Crossing jurisdictional boundaries – as the public would like – will be more difficult, positive rhetoric notwithstanding.”PWC 2001

Internal Perspectives – Political Challenges barriers to interdepartmental cooperation barriers to interdepartmental cooperation – interdepartmental politics different functions/mandates different functions/mandates turf protection turf protection – accountability concerns why do we have “silos” in government? why do we have “silos” in government?

Internal Perspectives – Political Challenges barriers to interdepartmental cooperation barriers to interdepartmental cooperation barriers to intergovernmental cooperation barriers to intergovernmental cooperation – “By their very nature, ICTs are hostile to the partitioning of the political world which is so important for federal states.”Gibbins, 2001 – cooperation on portal delivery raises all the age-old difficulties of federal-provincial cooperation – will generate some resistance differ by program area differ by program area differ by province (e.g. Quebec) differ by province (e.g. Quebec)

Internal Perspectives – Political Challenges barriers to interdepartmental cooperation barriers to interdepartmental cooperation barriers to intergovernmental cooperation barriers to intergovernmental cooperation channel-switching places organizational structure in question channel-switching places organizational structure in question – competition within a department – e-business disconnects location of citizens and service providers – some delivery partners (e.g. private license issuers) may be “disintermediated” because citizens prefer electronic service

Internal Perspectives -- Challenges barriers to interdepartmental cooperation barriers to interdepartmental cooperation barriers to intergovernmental cooperation barriers to intergovernmental cooperation channel-switching places organizational structure in question channel-switching places organizational structure in question cost-savings through workforce reductions cost-savings through workforce reductions – “Public sector managers are reluctant to commit to such large cost reductions.” PWC 2001

Internal Perspectives – Political Challenges there will be obstacles to adoption of e- government technologies/approach there will be obstacles to adoption of e- government technologies/approach adoption will be uneven adoption will be uneven – across time – across policy areas – across departments – across jurisdictions

Internal Perspectives -- Perils security/privacy security/privacy increasing cross-departmental cooperation (esp. sharing of data) will generate concerns for security and privacy increasing cross-departmental cooperation (esp. sharing of data) will generate concerns for security and privacy choice and coercion choice and coercion reducing overlap through cooperation may generate concerns regarding coercion/reducing choice reducing overlap through cooperation may generate concerns regarding coercion/reducing choice “Realizing potential savings will require active encouragement of channel switching, whether through advertising, differential fees, or downgrading of service in existing channels.” PWC 2001 “Realizing potential savings will require active encouragement of channel switching, whether through advertising, differential fees, or downgrading of service in existing channels.” PWC 2001 – NETFILE

Internal Perspectives -- Perils security/privacy security/privacy choice and coercion choice and coercion program effectiveness and quality program effectiveness and quality new program design criteria – outside in, seamless access, etc. new program design criteria – outside in, seamless access, etc. not the same as program effectiveness not the same as program effectiveness

Internal Perspectives -- Perils security/privacy security/privacy choice and coercion choice and coercion program effectiveness and quality program effectiveness and quality accountability accountability – results-based accountability – “citizen as customer”