an article by Jonathan Bright, Sumin Lee, Helen Margetts, Ning Wang and Scott Hale (Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, UK) published in International Journal of Electronic Governance Volume 11 Number 2 (2019)
Abstract
Open data remains one of the most significant current trends in public administration, with hundreds of projects around the world seeking to open up stores of public sector information for future re-use. However, as open data has grown, a critical literature has also emerged which questions who the true beneficiaries of open data are, as well as highlighting the high costs it places on government.
Hence systematic research on the actual outcomes of open data projects is urgently needed.
This article seeks to explain the factors which promote greater levels of downloads of open government data.
We show that the use of profit making datasets far exceeds those which could be used to enhance government transparency or service delivery. We also show that well updated datasets with high quality metadata are more likely to be downloaded.
We conclude by supporting currently developing calls for prioritisation in open government data programmes.
Showing posts with label e-government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label e-government. Show all posts
Monday, 19 August 2019
Thursday, 15 August 2019
Social media use by government: adoption and efficiency
an article by Sultan Al-masaeed (Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU), Jordan) published in International Journal of Electronic Governance Volume 11 Number 2 (2019)
Abstract
This paper examines the presence, engagement and government-user-interactivity of all Jordanian governmental social media accounts (n = 110). The survey explored both the extent and nature of social media usage.
The study found that roughly a third of Jordanian government entities do not utilise social media in any identifiable manner. Dialogue via social media platforms in Jordan is a one-way dialogue with very low level of government-to-user interactivity, which indicates a low level of efficiency of Jordan governmental social media accounts in utilising social media tools.
Furthermore, the survey also discovered instances of a lack of technical efficiency in government agencies' linkages to their social media.
Hazel’s comment
I have no reason to think that the UK government is any different. Technical efficiency may be better but there never seems to be testing of how users interact with the push of social media.
Abstract
This paper examines the presence, engagement and government-user-interactivity of all Jordanian governmental social media accounts (n = 110). The survey explored both the extent and nature of social media usage.
The study found that roughly a third of Jordanian government entities do not utilise social media in any identifiable manner. Dialogue via social media platforms in Jordan is a one-way dialogue with very low level of government-to-user interactivity, which indicates a low level of efficiency of Jordan governmental social media accounts in utilising social media tools.
Furthermore, the survey also discovered instances of a lack of technical efficiency in government agencies' linkages to their social media.
Hazel’s comment
I have no reason to think that the UK government is any different. Technical efficiency may be better but there never seems to be testing of how users interact with the push of social media.
Monday, 25 March 2019
Engendering inclusive e-government use through citizen IT training programs
an article by Jae Bok Lee (Korea Institute of Public Administration, South Korea) and Gregory A.Porumbescu (Rutgers University, Newark, USA) published in Government Information Quarterly Volume 36 Issue 1 (January 2019)
Highlights
Abstract
Around the world, governments turn to information technology (IT) training programs to enhance equitable delivery of online public services to citizens.
However, the effectiveness of these citizen training programs has gone unexplored.
This study is motivated by two objectives:
We use data from South Korean to examine these objectives. Findings indicate citizen participation in government IT training programs is positively associated with e-government use and that this relationship is stronger for citizens who are elderly or disabled.
These findings highlight the potential of government IT training programs to mitigate the digital divide. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Full text (HTML)
Highlights
- Citizen participation in IT training is positively associated with e-government use.
- This relationship is strongest for citizens who are elderly or disabled.
- These findings indicate IT training helps mitigate the digital divide.
Abstract
Around the world, governments turn to information technology (IT) training programs to enhance equitable delivery of online public services to citizens.
However, the effectiveness of these citizen training programs has gone unexplored.
This study is motivated by two objectives:
- To evaluate whether citizen participation in government training programs is associated with greater e-government use among participants, and
- To assess whether the strength of this relationship varies according to whether a citizen is elderly, disabled, or not – those who are elderly or disabled tend to use e-government the least.
We use data from South Korean to examine these objectives. Findings indicate citizen participation in government IT training programs is positively associated with e-government use and that this relationship is stronger for citizens who are elderly or disabled.
These findings highlight the potential of government IT training programs to mitigate the digital divide. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Full text (HTML)
Tuesday, 10 April 2018
The use of Facebook by local authorities: a comparative analysis of the USA, UK and Spain
an article by F. Javier Miranda, Antonio Chamorro and Sergio Rubio (Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain) published in Electronic Government, an International Journal Volume 14 Number 2 (2018)
Abstract
The social networks have increased the ways in which public administrations can actively interact with the public. However, these new means of communication are not always used efficiently to create an open and two-way relationship.
The purpose of this study is to analyse the presence on and use of the social network Facebook by the large councils in the USA, UK and Spain. This research adapts Facebook assessment index (FAI) to the field of local authorities.
This index assesses three dimensions:
The results show that there is no relationship between the population of the municipality and the degree of use of Facebook by the council, but there are notable differences depending on the country.
By creating this ranking, we are helping those responsible for this management to carry out benchmarking activities in order to improve their communication strategy on the social networks.
Abstract
The social networks have increased the ways in which public administrations can actively interact with the public. However, these new means of communication are not always used efficiently to create an open and two-way relationship.
The purpose of this study is to analyse the presence on and use of the social network Facebook by the large councils in the USA, UK and Spain. This research adapts Facebook assessment index (FAI) to the field of local authorities.
This index assesses three dimensions:
- popularity,
- content and
- interactivity.
The results show that there is no relationship between the population of the municipality and the degree of use of Facebook by the council, but there are notable differences depending on the country.
By creating this ranking, we are helping those responsible for this management to carry out benchmarking activities in order to improve their communication strategy on the social networks.
Thursday, 11 January 2018
n its first year, the Trump administration has reduced public information online
a post by by Andrew Bergman and Toly Rinberg for the Sunlight Foundation blog [with grateful thanks to ResearchBuzz Firehose]
From the redesign of the White House website to the removal of hundreds of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) webpages about climate change, the Trump administration, as part of transforming the federal government in its first year, has already left a distinct mark on federal websites.
In some cases, we’ve observed politically motivated and otherwise unexplained removals of documents and entire websites. The Department of the Treasury removed a non-political, research report about corporate income tax from the Office of Tax Analysis website. According to numerous sources, the report was likely removed because it was at odds with Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s tax policies.
Despite widespread concern in the beginning of 2017, we do not have evidence that data has been removed from federal websites almost a year into the Trump presidency. The one exception we know of is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s animal welfare datasets, which was taken down and then partially returned following public outcry and several lawsuits.
What we have seen are substantial removals and overhauls of webpages, documents, and entire websites, as well as significant shifts in language and messaging across the federal Web domain. We know this because we’ve been monitoring tens of thousands of environmental federal webpages at the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) and keeping tabs on relevant reporting and investigations by members of the press and civil society in our roles as Sunlight Fellows.
Continue reading although be aware that the many links are pale blue on white which I found difficult to follow.
From the redesign of the White House website to the removal of hundreds of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) webpages about climate change, the Trump administration, as part of transforming the federal government in its first year, has already left a distinct mark on federal websites.
In some cases, we’ve observed politically motivated and otherwise unexplained removals of documents and entire websites. The Department of the Treasury removed a non-political, research report about corporate income tax from the Office of Tax Analysis website. According to numerous sources, the report was likely removed because it was at odds with Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s tax policies.
Despite widespread concern in the beginning of 2017, we do not have evidence that data has been removed from federal websites almost a year into the Trump presidency. The one exception we know of is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s animal welfare datasets, which was taken down and then partially returned following public outcry and several lawsuits.
What we have seen are substantial removals and overhauls of webpages, documents, and entire websites, as well as significant shifts in language and messaging across the federal Web domain. We know this because we’ve been monitoring tens of thousands of environmental federal webpages at the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) and keeping tabs on relevant reporting and investigations by members of the press and civil society in our roles as Sunlight Fellows.
Continue reading although be aware that the many links are pale blue on white which I found difficult to follow.
Sunday, 16 July 2017
The new generation electronic monitoring programme
a press release from the National Audit Office published on 12 July 2017
“The case for a huge expansion of electronic monitoring using GPS was unproven, but the Ministry of Justice pursued an overly ambitious and high risk strategy anyway. Ultimately it has not delivered. After abandoning its original plans, the Ministry’s new service will now, ironically, be much closer to its existing one. Even if it launches in 2018, it will still be five years late. The Ministry has learnt costly lessons from its failings but significant risks still remain.”
Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office
Full press release (HTML)
Full report (PDF 51pp)
Hazel’s comment:
I am almost fearful of saying anything about this.
Promising programmes of work are cancelled for lack of support, now this mess!
“The case for a huge expansion of electronic monitoring using GPS was unproven, but the Ministry of Justice pursued an overly ambitious and high risk strategy anyway. Ultimately it has not delivered. After abandoning its original plans, the Ministry’s new service will now, ironically, be much closer to its existing one. Even if it launches in 2018, it will still be five years late. The Ministry has learnt costly lessons from its failings but significant risks still remain.”
Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office
Full press release (HTML)
Full report (PDF 51pp)
Hazel’s comment:
I am almost fearful of saying anything about this.
Promising programmes of work are cancelled for lack of support, now this mess!
Friday, 24 February 2017
Interfaces: How to Connect Effectively with Citizens
an article by Alex Brenninkmeijer (Utrecht University, The Netherlands and European Court of Auditors) published in Public Administration Review Volume 77 Issue 1 (January/February 2017)
This Perspective is based upon Alex Brenninkmeijer’s Edge Talk at the 2016 conference of the European Group for Public Administration at Utrecht University.
First paragraph
When citizens interact with agencies – for taxation, social benefits, licenses, permits, and so on – the complexity of rules, procedures, and (web)formuli is a major problem. The complexity of the world of “systems” of our public sector does not easily match the world of “real lives” – the varied lives of individuals.
Administrative systems focus on regularity, equality, and the processing of huge numbers of individual cases. All elements of the administrative process are formalised. If something cannot be formalised, if it does not fit in the system, it does not exist.
Human beings value predictability, but are not made for formality. Consequently, there is a structural tension or misfit between complex administrative systems and citizens.
Continue reading
This Perspective is based upon Alex Brenninkmeijer’s Edge Talk at the 2016 conference of the European Group for Public Administration at Utrecht University.
First paragraph
When citizens interact with agencies – for taxation, social benefits, licenses, permits, and so on – the complexity of rules, procedures, and (web)formuli is a major problem. The complexity of the world of “systems” of our public sector does not easily match the world of “real lives” – the varied lives of individuals.
Administrative systems focus on regularity, equality, and the processing of huge numbers of individual cases. All elements of the administrative process are formalised. If something cannot be formalised, if it does not fit in the system, it does not exist.
Human beings value predictability, but are not made for formality. Consequently, there is a structural tension or misfit between complex administrative systems and citizens.
Continue reading
Wednesday, 9 November 2016
Are U.K. Citizens Satisfied With E-Government Services? Identifying and Testing Antecedents of Satisfaction
an article by Vishanth Weerakkody (Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlezex, UK), Zahir Irani, Habin Lee, Nitham Hindi and Ibrahim Osman published in Information Systems Management Volume 33 Issue 4 (2016)
Abstract
Citizens’ satisfaction is acknowledged as one of the most significant influences for e-government adoption and diffusion. This study examines the impact of information quality, system quality, trust, and cost on user satisfaction of e-government services.
Using a survey, this study collected 1,518 valid responses from e-government service adopters across the United Kingdom. Our empirical outcomes show the five factors identified in this study have a significant impact on U.K. citizens’ satisfaction with e-government services.
Full text (HTML)
Abstract
Citizens’ satisfaction is acknowledged as one of the most significant influences for e-government adoption and diffusion. This study examines the impact of information quality, system quality, trust, and cost on user satisfaction of e-government services.
Using a survey, this study collected 1,518 valid responses from e-government service adopters across the United Kingdom. Our empirical outcomes show the five factors identified in this study have a significant impact on U.K. citizens’ satisfaction with e-government services.
Full text (HTML)
Tuesday, 30 December 2014
Wrestling with Contradictions in Government Social Media Practices
an article by Lars Haahr (Information Systems Research Group, Aarhus University, Denmark) published in International Journal of Electronic Government Research Volume 10 Issue 1 (January-March 2014)
Abstract
Research in government social media practices highlights expectations of co-creation and progression mirrored in maturity models, but research also documents low deployment degree and thereby points to a discrepancy.
The paper suggests that the authors instead of co-creation and progression draw on a dialectical approach and understand the development of government social media practices as a wrestling with contradictions. The case of emerging social media practices in a Danish municipality used to illustrate this framework suggests three main categories of contradictions in emerging social media practices:
The paper discusses if a paradox lens will enhance our understanding of inherent contradictions or the dialectical notion of contradiction serve the purpose. The paper contributes to a dialectical theory of contradictions through an analysis of emerging government social media practices.
The first page of the article is available here
Abstract
Research in government social media practices highlights expectations of co-creation and progression mirrored in maturity models, but research also documents low deployment degree and thereby points to a discrepancy.
The paper suggests that the authors instead of co-creation and progression draw on a dialectical approach and understand the development of government social media practices as a wrestling with contradictions. The case of emerging social media practices in a Danish municipality used to illustrate this framework suggests three main categories of contradictions in emerging social media practices:
- contradictions between service administration and community feeling as forms of practice,
- contradictions in organizing between local engagement and central control, and
- contradictions in the digital infrastructure between proprietary municipal websites and public social media platforms.
The paper discusses if a paradox lens will enhance our understanding of inherent contradictions or the dialectical notion of contradiction serve the purpose. The paper contributes to a dialectical theory of contradictions through an analysis of emerging government social media practices.
The first page of the article is available here
Thursday, 18 July 2013
Risk factors in e-justice information systems
an article by João Rosa, Cláudio Teixeira and Joaquim Sousa Pinto (Department of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, University of Aveiro, Portugal) published in Government Information Quarterly Volume 30 Issue 3 (July 2013)
Highlights
• Conflicts among stakeholders may arise from the lack of knowledge on organized development
• Conflicts among stakeholders may arise from the lack of perspectives on the development
• Users involved acquired an ownership (almost paternity like) feeling towards the system
• The introduction of IT in the justice system must also be considered as a risk factor
• The knowledge gap between the design team and the users may impair the entire system
Abstract
With the increase of the communication systems’ bandwidth and with the dissemination of the information systems, the fields of information and communication technology application expanded in almost all directions. E-government in general and e-justice in particular are no exception and these areas suffered strong changes in the last decades. There is no democracy without a system of swift and transparent justice. Therefore, the introduction of information systems in the courts allows a decrease both in time and number of pending processes, boosting the efficiency of the services provided to citizens and to the society in general.
This paper analyses and discusses different worldwide e-justice experiences. Special emphasis is addressed on the risk factors on the design, development and implementation of such systems.
Finally, we present our own experience in the development of an e-justice information system in Cape Verde, an African development country. The scope of our system ranges from the design team until the training of the justice agents.
Full text (HTML) This is an Open Access article from Elsevier ScienceDirect
Highlights
• Conflicts among stakeholders may arise from the lack of knowledge on organized development
• Conflicts among stakeholders may arise from the lack of perspectives on the development
• Users involved acquired an ownership (almost paternity like) feeling towards the system
• The introduction of IT in the justice system must also be considered as a risk factor
• The knowledge gap between the design team and the users may impair the entire system
Abstract
With the increase of the communication systems’ bandwidth and with the dissemination of the information systems, the fields of information and communication technology application expanded in almost all directions. E-government in general and e-justice in particular are no exception and these areas suffered strong changes in the last decades. There is no democracy without a system of swift and transparent justice. Therefore, the introduction of information systems in the courts allows a decrease both in time and number of pending processes, boosting the efficiency of the services provided to citizens and to the society in general.
This paper analyses and discusses different worldwide e-justice experiences. Special emphasis is addressed on the risk factors on the design, development and implementation of such systems.
Finally, we present our own experience in the development of an e-justice information system in Cape Verde, an African development country. The scope of our system ranges from the design team until the training of the justice agents.
Full text (HTML) This is an Open Access article from Elsevier ScienceDirect
Monday, 15 July 2013
New Questions for E-Government: Efficiency but not (yet?) Democracy
an article by Alexandru V. Roman and Hugh T. Miller (Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA) published in International Journal of Electronic Government Research Volume 9 Issue 1 (2013)
Abstract
E-government’s rise to prominence in the early 1990s was met with great enthusiasm amidst the promise that information communication technologies (ICTs) might fulfill the demands and expectations for improved democratic governance. Since then, significant progress has been made in terms of information provision and delivery of public services; yet, dialogue, a core dimension of democratic governance, remains largely unrealised within the digital context.
This study employs content analysis within the frame of a check-off research protocol to determine if the population of state websites has the capacity to support digital democratic dialogue. The key question is whether there is an emphasis within the milieu of state websites to support e-dialogue outside the provision of information and e-services.
The analysis suggests that efficiency rather than dialogue is the primary focus in the design of the state websites.
Is, therefore, e-government a new development in the historical effort to enforce efficiency as a core value of governance?
Hazel’s comment:
Efficient for the government maybe but trying to administrate your systems in an online environment increases the digital divide, provides little or no flexibility, and is largely undemocratic.
Abstract
E-government’s rise to prominence in the early 1990s was met with great enthusiasm amidst the promise that information communication technologies (ICTs) might fulfill the demands and expectations for improved democratic governance. Since then, significant progress has been made in terms of information provision and delivery of public services; yet, dialogue, a core dimension of democratic governance, remains largely unrealised within the digital context.
This study employs content analysis within the frame of a check-off research protocol to determine if the population of state websites has the capacity to support digital democratic dialogue. The key question is whether there is an emphasis within the milieu of state websites to support e-dialogue outside the provision of information and e-services.
The analysis suggests that efficiency rather than dialogue is the primary focus in the design of the state websites.
Is, therefore, e-government a new development in the historical effort to enforce efficiency as a core value of governance?
Hazel’s comment:
Efficient for the government maybe but trying to administrate your systems in an online environment increases the digital divide, provides little or no flexibility, and is largely undemocratic.
Thursday, 17 January 2013
A heuristic evaluation instrument for e-government online software
an article by Jerald Hughes, Punit Ahluwalia and Vishal Midha (affiliation(s) not provided) published in Electronic Government, an International Journal Volume 10 Number 1 (2013)
Abstract
An important component of e-government maturity is online software tools for financial analysis directly on the website.
This paper develops a novel extension of website heuristic evaluation methodology, contributing a set of guidelines which encompasses not only website content, but also online software quality, based on established software evaluation concerns.
Interactive online retirement and tax planning software tools are used as exemplars to demonstrate the evaluation methodology.
Online software tools from five nations in four regions of the globe are evaluated for three different kinds of tasks.
Results indicate that such tools have considerable room for improvement.
Hazel’s comment:
I have not yet managed to read this article. It will be interesting to see whether the authors looked at the UK where I would anticipate that there is not only considerable room for improvement but not enough software to be able to make a reasonable comparison.
Abstract
An important component of e-government maturity is online software tools for financial analysis directly on the website.
This paper develops a novel extension of website heuristic evaluation methodology, contributing a set of guidelines which encompasses not only website content, but also online software quality, based on established software evaluation concerns.
Interactive online retirement and tax planning software tools are used as exemplars to demonstrate the evaluation methodology.
Online software tools from five nations in four regions of the globe are evaluated for three different kinds of tasks.
Results indicate that such tools have considerable room for improvement.
Hazel’s comment:
I have not yet managed to read this article. It will be interesting to see whether the authors looked at the UK where I would anticipate that there is not only considerable room for improvement but not enough software to be able to make a reasonable comparison.
Friday, 21 December 2012
Technology Is Least Of The Challenges For Online Engagement
an article by Vineeta Dixit published in e-government bulletin (December 2012)
The advent of the internet, social media and mobile devices have changed the way citizens can engage with each other and with their governments.
Across the world, governments are facing challenges to their legitimacy as citizens express a rising disquiet with corruption and non-responsiveness.
Continue reading (HTML)
The advent of the internet, social media and mobile devices have changed the way citizens can engage with each other and with their governments.
Across the world, governments are facing challenges to their legitimacy as citizens express a rising disquiet with corruption and non-responsiveness.
Continue reading (HTML)
Monday, 10 September 2012
A hybrid information system model for trust in e-government initiative adoption in public sector organisation
an article by Mohannad Moufeed Ayyash, Kamsuriah Ahmad and Dalbir Singh (affiliation(s) not provided) published in International Journal of Business Information Systems Volume 11 Number 2 (2012)
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify information system factors affecting user trust of e-government adoption and to propose a hybrid information system model for trusting e-government in public sector organisations.
The proposed model was built based on: information system success model, technology acceptance model, and security and privacy from literature. Based on these theories, this paper identifies information system factors affecting user trust of e-government initiative adoption.
Hazel’s comment:
Not much to go on from this abstract but if someone has come up with the factors that will help citizens be more trusting of e-government initiatives it has to be a good thing.
What is not good is the “online only” policy of the present UK government.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify information system factors affecting user trust of e-government adoption and to propose a hybrid information system model for trusting e-government in public sector organisations.
The proposed model was built based on: information system success model, technology acceptance model, and security and privacy from literature. Based on these theories, this paper identifies information system factors affecting user trust of e-government initiative adoption.
Hazel’s comment:
Not much to go on from this abstract but if someone has come up with the factors that will help citizens be more trusting of e-government initiatives it has to be a good thing.
What is not good is the “online only” policy of the present UK government.
Friday, 18 May 2012
E-Government Must Focus On The Citizen, UN Says
A new report from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs says that governments around the world need to "rethink" e-government strategies, linking up departments and services to allow for greater emphasis on sustainable development.
Thanks to e-Government Bulletin April 2012
E-Government Survey 2012: E-Government for the People is not light bedtime reading but does appear to have captured the essence of the need to be aware who is using these new electronic services.
It also seems to emphasis that widening the digital divide is also widening a social inclusion divide!
However, I have not read all 143 pages of text and data tables – I even found the executive summary fairly heavy going.
Try for yourself here
Thanks to e-Government Bulletin April 2012
E-Government Survey 2012: E-Government for the People is not light bedtime reading but does appear to have captured the essence of the need to be aware who is using these new electronic services.
It also seems to emphasis that widening the digital divide is also widening a social inclusion divide!
However, I have not read all 143 pages of text and data tables – I even found the executive summary fairly heavy going.
Try for yourself here
Friday, 23 March 2012
The impact of polices on government social media usage: Issues, challenges, and recommendations
an article by John Carlo Bertot , Paul T. Jaeger and Derek Hansen (College of Information Studies, University of Maryland, USA) published in Government Information Quarterly Volume 29 Issue 1 (January 2012)
Abstract
Government agencies are increasingly using social media to connect with those they serve. These connections have the potential to extend government services, solicit new ideas, and improve decision-making and problem-solving.
However, interacting via social media introduces new challenges related to privacy, security, data management, accessibility, social inclusion, governance, and other information policy issues. The rapid adoption of social media by the population and government agencies has outpaced the regulatory framework related to information, although the guiding principles behind many regulations are still relevant.
This paper examines the existing regulatory framework and the ways in which it applies to social media use by the U.S. federal government, highlighting opportunities and challenges agencies face in implementing them, as well as possible approaches for addressing these challenges.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Why the government IT strategy is on a well-worn road to ruin
Well-worn is definitely the crux of this article from Silicon.com (public sector) which provides brief information on two large projects going nowhere even whilst the minister in charge was saying something about the success of the project (NHS care records project and the national ID card scheme).
The problem is that when the manager/sponsor of the project is the also the judge and jury you cannot expect that person to say “it all went wrong” so more and more money gets poured down the drain.
- Just look at the track record of the media-led Press Complaints Commission.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Culture, identity and information privacy in the age of digital government
an article by Rowena Cullen published in Online Information Review Volume 33 Issue 3 (2009)
Abstract
Purpose
The emergence of digital government and the requirement for citizens to exchange information with government online have raised a number of issues related to personal information held by government. These include questions about the confidence of citizens concerning the security and privacy of information they provide to government, on- or offline, and whether different cultural attitudes to issues such as personal identity might impact on citizens’ attitudes towards privacy. This paper aims to investigate these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports and comments on the experiences and concerns of citizens in both New Zealand and Japan, based on focus groups and interviews. The New Zealand research included indigenous Maori, immigrant Pacific Islands groups and other ethnic communities.
Findings
Although all groups had concerns about information privacy, the nature of these concerns varied among the different groups interviewed and among individuals. Explanations of the attitudes and perceptions made in each group reflect cultural values and concepts of personal identity, and illustrate the importance of being aware of the differences between individualist and collectivist cultures.
Research limitations/implications
The research was based on a number of small studies, with limited numbers of participants. The findings would be strengthened by expanding the research to include larger numbers of participants.
Originality/value
The findings are significant to the development of policies for securing the confidentiality of citizens in the way government handles personal information in the online environment and in the ways in which these policies are communicated to citizens.
Hazel’s comment:
Before reading about this study I thought that everyone would be wary of central government organisations holding personal information and this is, to an extent, true but the level of wariness (not sure about that as a phrase but I’m sure you understand) varies quite considerably across different cultures.
Abstract
Purpose
The emergence of digital government and the requirement for citizens to exchange information with government online have raised a number of issues related to personal information held by government. These include questions about the confidence of citizens concerning the security and privacy of information they provide to government, on- or offline, and whether different cultural attitudes to issues such as personal identity might impact on citizens’ attitudes towards privacy. This paper aims to investigate these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports and comments on the experiences and concerns of citizens in both New Zealand and Japan, based on focus groups and interviews. The New Zealand research included indigenous Maori, immigrant Pacific Islands groups and other ethnic communities.
Findings
Although all groups had concerns about information privacy, the nature of these concerns varied among the different groups interviewed and among individuals. Explanations of the attitudes and perceptions made in each group reflect cultural values and concepts of personal identity, and illustrate the importance of being aware of the differences between individualist and collectivist cultures.
Research limitations/implications
The research was based on a number of small studies, with limited numbers of participants. The findings would be strengthened by expanding the research to include larger numbers of participants.
Originality/value
The findings are significant to the development of policies for securing the confidentiality of citizens in the way government handles personal information in the online environment and in the ways in which these policies are communicated to citizens.
Hazel’s comment:
Before reading about this study I thought that everyone would be wary of central government organisations holding personal information and this is, to an extent, true but the level of wariness (not sure about that as a phrase but I’m sure you understand) varies quite considerably across different cultures.
Monday, 3 August 2009
Metadata interoperability in public sector information
an article by Lina Bountouri and Christos Papatheodorou (Ionian University, Corfu), Vasilis Soulikias (State General Archives of Greece) and Mathios Stratis (National Library of Greece) in Journal of Information Science Volume 35 Number 2 (2009)
Abstract
Over recent years, there has been a worldwide growing need for interoperability among the systems that manage and reuse public sector information. This paper explores the documentation needs for public sector information and focuses on metadata interoperability issues. The research work studies a variety of public sector information metadata standards and guidelines internationally accepted and presents two methodologies to obtain interoperability. The first develops an application profile, while the second is based on the semantic integration approach and results in the creation of an ontology. The outcomes of the two approaches are compared under the prism of their scope and usage in terms of interoperability during the metadata integration process.
Abstract
Over recent years, there has been a worldwide growing need for interoperability among the systems that manage and reuse public sector information. This paper explores the documentation needs for public sector information and focuses on metadata interoperability issues. The research work studies a variety of public sector information metadata standards and guidelines internationally accepted and presents two methodologies to obtain interoperability. The first develops an application profile, while the second is based on the semantic integration approach and results in the creation of an ontology. The outcomes of the two approaches are compared under the prism of their scope and usage in terms of interoperability during the metadata integration process.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
A study of e-government system effectiveness: applying structuration theory ...
an article by Paul T Y Tseng in International Journal of Electronic Business Volume 6 Number 4 (2008)
Abstract
This paper is based on Giddens' structuration theory to discover what constitutes the effective use of Electronic Government Information System (EGIS) through empirical method. It investigates how to enable EGIS effectiveness among people, technology, and organisation within a public organisational context. Usable 152 respondents data are chosen from the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) and the Department of Commerce (DoC) within the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan. Causal analysis was conducted to explore the relationships among the research variables. The results indicate that the impact of ICT environment, institutional properties, and human factors on the effectiveness of EGIS is fully mediated by how the public employees use EGIS.
Hazel's comment:
In other words it's the people using the system that make the difference in how it's perceived.
I'm not entirely sure that I agree since a number of government information systems in the UK do not work as efficiently as they should (and even, in some cases, don't work at all) and there is nothing that the staff of the government department can do to make the system more efficient or to get it to work in the way in which it was envisaged that it would!
Abstract
This paper is based on Giddens' structuration theory to discover what constitutes the effective use of Electronic Government Information System (EGIS) through empirical method. It investigates how to enable EGIS effectiveness among people, technology, and organisation within a public organisational context. Usable 152 respondents data are chosen from the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) and the Department of Commerce (DoC) within the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan. Causal analysis was conducted to explore the relationships among the research variables. The results indicate that the impact of ICT environment, institutional properties, and human factors on the effectiveness of EGIS is fully mediated by how the public employees use EGIS.
Hazel's comment:
In other words it's the people using the system that make the difference in how it's perceived.
I'm not entirely sure that I agree since a number of government information systems in the UK do not work as efficiently as they should (and even, in some cases, don't work at all) and there is nothing that the staff of the government department can do to make the system more efficient or to get it to work in the way in which it was envisaged that it would!
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