E-GOV Presentation July 17, 2008 Dr. Elaine Kamarck John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University

Internet users per 100 people; regional averages and selected countries: 2007 Source: International Telecommunications Union Statistics

Internet users per 100 inhabitants in South American countries: 2002 & 2007 Source: International Telecommunications Union Statistics

Drivers of E-Gov in U.S. Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 Framework for Global Electronic Commerce Govt Paperwork Elimination Act of 1998 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 Presidential Memorandum on Electronic Govt Electronic Signatures in Global & Natl Commerce Act of 2000 President’s Management Agenda Source: Abramson and Morin (2003)

Where are we in the IT revolution? This depends on the country Some countries are in the first stage Few are in the third Bureaucrats around the world are conservative.

Mean number of government websites per nation by region: 2000 Source: Norris (2001)

What are the levels of E-gov?

What are some applications of E-gov?

Online Services Provided by U.S. Federal Websites Source: Abramson and Morin (2003)

Percentage of individuals who used the Internet for interactions with public authorities: 2007 Source: OECD; The Future of the Internet Economy, A Statistical Profile (2008)

Key Characteristics of Effective Govt Websites 1. Effective online information and services 2. Coherent organization for structure and content 3. Usability and help features 4. Accessibility for those with disabilities or technical illiterates 5. Legitimacy features to ensure user confidence

Prospects and Challenges in E-Procurement Management Prospects Cost savings Time savings More vendor choices Increased efficiency Better reporting system Increased buyer capacity Reduced paperwork Employee empowerment Control over spending and employee compliance Challenges Technical complexity Potential initial costs Relationships with online vendors Relationships with independent ASPs. Adapted from Neef (2001), e-Procurement: From Strategy to Implementation

Benefits of E-government Source: OECD: E-government Economics Project( 2005)

Direct cost savings to government Phone or postal transactions cost from 5 to 10 times more than an online transaction Face to face interactions cost from 50 to 100 times more than an online transaction Source: EzGov Ltd estimations based on average call time of 2 minutes, UK postal costs and costs for response to online queries

Impact of E-gov projects California’s Buy Online procurement system saves US$ 9.7 million/yr Singapore’s tax e-filing saves SG$ 20 million/yr MyFlorida.com search engine reduced call centre calls by 1% and saves US$1.5 million/yr UK e-tendering saved GBP 13 million over 4 years and reduced supplier costs by GBP 37 million Source: OECD; E-government for Better Government (2005)

Barriers to e-govt Usage rates by citizens impacted by: – Accessibility issues: the “digital divide” – Data privacy/security concerns Government concerns – Bureaucrats worried about lost jobs – E-gov solutions require long time horizons – Cash economies limit extent of online transactions

The “digital divide” household internet access by income: 2007 Source: OECD; The Future of the Internet Economy, A Statistical Profile (2008)

Internet usage in developed and developing countries Source: International Telecommunications Union Statistics

Electronic Democracy Registering to vote online Receiving voting forms online Voting online (Arizona) Mobilizing grass-roots campaigns (moveon.org) Communicating with candidates/parties Agenda setting (Minnesota, Britain)

Five Ways to Improve Govt Websites 1.Emphasize customer service 2.Organize services by event rather than department 3.Allow for customization 4.Reorganize the diversity of portal audiences 5.Include features that enhance the legitimacy of the portal Source: Abramson and Morin (2003)

Internet users per 100 people; regional averages and selected countries: 2007 Source: International Telecommunications Union Statistics