Showing papers in "Electronic Government, An International Journal in 2009"

Understanding national e-government: the role of central government

Abstract: E-government generally refers to the implementation of information and communications technology to change the structures and processes of government organisations aiming at performance improvement. Many governments worldwide invested heavily in national e-government. However, e-government is a recent, multidisciplinary topic that involves various stakeholders. There are different types of e-government and e-government itself is dynamic with an evolving nature. This led to the lack of clear understanding of managerial practices surrounding the role of the central government in its deployment and development. This paper presents a generic framework for explaining e-government focusing on the role of the state throughout its deployment.

Evaluating the usability of developing countries' e-government sites: a user perspective

Abstract: Government websites of developing countries are pertinent since they are part of the e-government efforts occurring on a global scale. The aim of this research is to investigate the usability issues of government web portals of developing countries. The data was collected from a diverse range of respondents. The main contribution of this paper is to identify the usability issues when implementing government web portals. This is pertinent as web portals are the only feature and source of information that people from various locations will obtain prior to visiting the country and may be a decisive factor for an individual.

A holistic evaluation of Greek municipalities' websites

Abstract: This paper investigates the state of municipalities' websites in 50 major Greek cities. First, it presents GovQual, a comprehensive evaluation framework which consists of 140 criteria organised into 13 evaluation categories. Then, 15 trained students evaluated 50 Greek municipalities' sites using GovQual. The results identified significant shortages related to the sites' interactivity and feedback, as well as e-services and applications. Differences among the various Greek geographical regions were also identified. Regions that are economically poor and faraway from the capital came behind. Suggestions for improvement and directions for future research are given.

A conceptual framework for measuring public value of enterprise applications

Abstract: Despite several evaluation models of IS, there is little by way of frameworks measuring value of enterprise applications in the public sector and government organisations. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that fills this need. The methodology used is literature survey on IS business value, public value of IS and value of enterprise applications. The framework recommends three dimensions – constituent service, productivity and political consideration, along with their measures, that constitute public value of enterprise applications. It provides a new multidimensional public value measurement that can be applied for assessing the impact of enterprise applications in the public sector and government organisations.

Examining the impact of possible antecedents on service usage: an empirical study on Macao e-government

Abstract: This research investigated Macao citizens' intention of usage of e-government services. In the past, information technology (IT) adoption in private companies has been studied extensively. However, most of previous studies on the adoption of e-government are not enough for a base to build on further extensions. This research introduced a framework with five major factors that may affect the intention of usage of e-government services. They are: 1) perceived usefulness; 2) perceived ease of use; 3) technology characteristics; 4) trust; 5) persuasion. The results indicated that the factors of perceived usefulness, trust and persuasion exert the influence on the intention of usage of e-government, but the factors of perceived ease of use and technology characteristics do not.

Multi-agent based framework for e-government

Abstract: This paper presents an architecture framework with underlying technologies that are appropriate to design and deploy efficient government services. Service-oriented architecture driven by intelligent multi-agent components is proposed as a solution to achieve governments' goals of citizens focused efficiency, responsiveness and anticipation. Services are clustered into grapes of services related to specific government domains. Citizens have access through a single multichannel entry point and via service grapes to any service provided by a ministry or a public agency. The results of this research enable governments to be aware of innovative technologies that can assist them in better serving their citizens.

An electronic government model based on case study approach

Abstract: E-governance is more than just a government website on the internet. The paper clearly focuses on the benefits of e-governance, what can governments do to make it work, the solutions to development and implementation issues that often require changes to government processes, e.g. by decentralisation. Objectives are generally to improve efficiency and effectiveness and to save costs. The driving force can also be public demand for online services and information that increase democratic participation, accountability, transparency, and the quality and speed of services. The methodology is based on the real case based approach towards introducing the new model of e-government.

Evaluating procedural alternatives: a case study in e-voting

Abstract: This paper describes part of the work within the ProVotE project, whose goal is the introduction of e-voting systems for local elections. The approach is aimed at providing both precise models of the electoral processes and mechanisms for documenting and reasoning on the possible alternative implementations of the procedures. It is based on defining an alternating sequence of models, written using UML and Tropos. The UML is used to represent electoral processes (both existing and future), while Tropos provides a mean to reason and document the decisions taken about how to change the existing procedures to support an electronic election.

Reviewing existing methods for evaluating e-government websites

Abstract: Investigating e-government and examining its development has become an evolving research area in the information systems field. Much of the existing research on e-government has used the internet to examine government websites. The use of the internet has been recommended by e-government scholars as a method to evaluate e-government development. However there is no agreement as to what is the best method to examine use of the internet in order to evaluate e-government. In addition there is no universal instrument used to perform data collection and analysis. This research paper will resolve some of the existing ambiguity surrounding this area.

The effects of technological, institutional and fiscal readiness on the extent of nations' e-government

Abstract: This paper presents a fundamental theoretical model and realises new factor operationalisations for the model in order to explore the effects of three explanatory variables – technological readiness, institutional readiness and fiscal readiness – on the extent of online government services availability across countries. Significant effects are found in a path model with direct effects of t-readiness and i-readiness on e-government, and indirect effects of f-readiness on e-government mediated through t-readiness. Results are discussed, practical implications are drawn and future research directions are offered.

Desempenho de agências bancárias no Brasil: aplicando análise envoltória de dados (DEA) a indicadores relacionados às perspectivas do BSC DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n19p65

Abstract: Este estudo consiste na apresentacao e discussao de uma metodologia com base na analise envoltoria de dados (DEA), que procura promover uma visao do desempenho de unidades de negocio, neste caso 50 agencias de um grande banco brasileiro, com base em dados do segundo semestre de 2006, tendo como variaveis criticas de sucesso seis indicadores que representam as perspectivas do BSC utilizadas por essas agencias bancarias. Os resultados mostraram que apenas dez agencias sao tidas realmente como eficientes, servindo assim de padrao de referencia ( benchmark ) para as outras. Alem disso, o indicador da perspectiva financeira se apresenta com um grande potencial de melhoria para incrementar o desempenho multicriterial das agencias sob analise e, por conseguinte, do banco como um todo.

A training model for e-readiness in e-governance

Abstract: Advances in information and communication technologies (ICT) are providing opportunities for both public and private organisations to offer e-services on the web In the e-service environment stakeholders are customers and customer satisfaction becomes vital E-readiness is a prerequisite for all e-services Training has been identified as a major component for e-readiness Unfortunately, training has been typically ignored This paper focuses on employee training and proposes a process and a model for training employees for the e-environment The model links four factors: job classification (roles), job requirements, training levels and training modes to e-readiness In addition, we discuss techniques to assess training effectiveness needed for continuous improvement This paper should be useful for countries that are planning e-readiness for e-governance or are concerned about efficiency and lack of e-participation in e-government Instead of re-inventing the wheel, governments can use the model presented here to select training mode by matching job characteristics to the level of training requirement We feel this is a first attempt in this direction

E-government application in promoting local tourism: an empirical study

Abstract: This paper describes an empirical study about the current issues and development of the application of electronic government (e-government) in promoting local tourism industry for small and local cities and counties throughout the USA. The primary data for this study are collected through a comprehensive website evaluation. The objectives of this research are: 1) to examine the use of online tourism promotion implemented in local city and county websites across the USA; 2) to identify major issues and challenges for local governments in promoting local tourism online; 3) to discuss the managerial implications for future research. The data collected from this study show that there is an emerging need for improvement in promoting local tourism through e-government application.

Strategy mapping in the process of formulating digital divide strategies

Abstract: Digital divide is referred to as inequalities between social parties in accessing and sharing benefits from using information and communication technologies. Prior investigations have noted that the failure in building causal links between strategic objectives, key success factors and actions hindered most countries from successfully assessing and gaining the effectiveness of digital divide strategies. The goals of this paper are thus to propose a generic model of digital divide strategy map for depicting the desired cause-and-effect relationships as well as to illustrate the strategy mapping process for guiding the formulation of digital divide strategies.

E-government application development using the Six Sigma approach

Abstract: For an e-government system to be successful, high quality application-software that supports the e-government services is a critical factor. One key aspect in the software development is quality control implemented during the process of the software development project. However, little research has been published to examine how to improve the quality of e-government applications using better process management. In this paper, we present a framework for integrating the Six Sigma methods and tools into the e-government application development process. The proposed framework associates Six Sigma's define-measure-analyse-design-verify (DMADV) procedure and associated tools to various phases of the software development life cycle.

The impact of e-taxation policy on state and local government revenue

Abstract: The tax-free status of most items purchased online has resulted in significant loss of tax revenues to state and local government. Our research indicated that the loss of taxes amounting to $13.3 billion in 2001 will rise to $62.1 billion by 2011, unless taxation policies are changed. Changing the tax laws governing online trading is problematic. One significant aspect concerns the one who collects the revenues: should the taxes on items purchased online be collected by the state and local government, as is now done in traditional brick-and-mortar trades, or should this be done by a concerted, standardised federal effort?

Contabilidade mental e mudanças em preços: um estudo experimental / Mental accounting and changes in prices: an experimental study DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n21p54

Abstract: Neste trabalho testaram-se, por meio de um experimento, hipoteses relativas a operacao dos principios de contabilidade mental no contexto de informacoes comparativas de precos. Os resultados do experimento mostram que a inclusao de preco de referencia nas informacoes comparativas de precos e a maneira de apresentar os ganhos e as perdas em relacao ao preco de referencia – de forma absoluta (em reais) ou de forma relativa (percentuais) - podem influenciar percepcoes. Os resultados sugerem ainda que consumidores de baixa escolaridade sao especialmente suscetiveis aos efeitos de diferentes maneiras de apresentar informacoes de preco.

IT governance – a global approach at company level

Abstract: This paper presents a managerial approach of the automation process of information systems, focusing on identification of the key factors which determine the success of e-government or other complex Information Technology (IT) implementations and the proper ways for directing the IT activities in all the stages of the information system's life cycle. It proposes a change of the management's view about the relation between the organisation's strategy and the IT main objectives and, also, a theoretical support for making the decision concerning the right time to start and the most appropriate technical level of the information system update.

An IT technical framework for e-government: based on case study in Indian context

Abstract: Today, new global standards of governance are emerging. Citizens of developing countries are demanding better performance on the part of their governments, and they are increasingly aware of the costs of poor management and corruption. Attitudes are also changing in industrial countries where bribery is no longer viewed as a legitimate cost of doing business overseas. Going through many case studies, the paper thoroughly analyses various developments taking place in ICT sector supporting e-governance projects in Asia, with particular focus on India. The purpose of this paper is to make us realise that only effective implementation of e-governance can take ICT to the common man, helping national and state governments to align their services with the hanging needs of both citizens and stakeholders as well as to develop the economy.

Relações Internas e Conversa Estratégica nas Pequenas e Médias Empresas DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n20p73

Abstract: Tratando das relacoes na pequena e media empresa (PME), este estudo empirico e qualitativo enfoca a centralidade dos proprietarios-dirigentes desta organizacao assim como a interacao deles entre si e com os demais membros da PME. A centralidade e as relacoes internas (dentro da PME) destes importantes atores tem impacto direto sobre sua gestao estrategica, mas continuam recebendo pouca atencao dos pesquisadores em Administracao. Dentre os resultados deste estudo, a conversa estrategica aparece como um processo essencial de manifestacao das relacoes dos proprietarios-dirigentes para realizarem a gestao estrategica. Por meio dela, eles forjam os itens de orientacao estrategica (missao, visao e objetivos) e estabelecem o sentido para a cooperacao entre as pessoas na empresa. Ao final do artigo, sao apresentadas sugestoes para a melhoria das praticas estrategicas nas PME e para futuras pesquisas.

GovBenefits.gov: an electronic government case study

Abstract: GovBenefits.gov, launched in 2002, illustrates success factors outlined in previous research. A case study approach is used in this paper to explore how GovBenefits.gov resolved challenges since its inception. Especially important to GovBenefits.gov was the ability to collaborate with US federal agencies in a formal governance structure; to develop, maintain and expand technology solutions as the site evolved and to measure and report value to citizens and funding partners. The GovBenefits.gov story provides insights into how to evaluate other electronic government initiatives and the US Executive Branch's progress in meeting its electronic government goals.

Personalidade e lealdade: proposições de pesquisa com o modelo metateórico de motivação e personalidade DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n19p102

Abstract: A personalidade, no estudo do comportamento do consumidor, tem-se mostrado um construto importante, mas pouco compreendido e utilizado nas pesquisas da area. Esse construto, enquanto preditor do comportamento, pode estar relacionado com a predisposicao a lealdade em determinadas situacoes. Considerando a proposta de utilizacao da personalidade juntamente com variaveis comportamentais do individuo, este artigo, atraves do emprego da teoria dos tracos de personalidade e do modelo metateorico de motivacao e personalidade (modelo 3M) proposto por Mowen (2000), discute a possivel ligacao entre a personalidade do individuo e seu comportamento de lealdade. Para tanto, e feita uma revisao da literatura a respeito dos dois principais construtos (personalidade e lealdade), procurando evidenciar suas ligacoes, ao mesmo tempo em que sao geradas proposicoes de pesquisa levando em conta as relacoes hierarquicas que possam existir entre esses construtos.

A study of e-government infrastructure through WiFi implementation: strategic pricing to recover costs

Abstract: As cities saw the need to improve communication capabilities for their employees and to serve economically disadvantaged residents, several US municipalities responded by deploying a citywide WiFi network. Nevertheless, the cost and the price of municipal wireless service is a major factor in the transition to e-government. A problem for municipal wireless providers is competition from commercial broadband providers. The authors surveyed the current status of municipal wireless networks and compared it to the introduction and adoption rate of commercial 3G technologies. Game theory analysis was used to determine an effective and competitive price.

Por que as empresas investem em projetos culturais? Evidências de uma cidade mineira DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n19p44

Abstract: O objetivo nesta pesquisa foi identificar os fatores ligados ao investimento empresarial em projetos culturais. Para tanto, analisou-se o caso de uma cidade de Minas Gerais, usando-se uma estrategia qualitativa de pesquisa viabilizada por meio de pesquisa documental associada a entrevistas semiestruturadas. O material coletado foi analisado por meio da tecnica de analise do discurso francesa. Os resultados indicam que as empresas se orientam por jogos de interesses locais ao investirem em cultura; que os papeis publico e privado muitas vezes se misturam, abrindo um leque de possibilidades para as empresas, que agem de maneira pouco estrategica para transformar o patrocinio em visibilidade, ja que o publico de acoes culturais passou a ser visto como clientes em potencial. O setor publico, ao tracar suas politicas culturais, nao previu acoes efetivas para garantir a populacao acesso a todas as formas de cultura; o que nao interessa as empresas tem ficado a margem. Conclui-se que, embora haja ocupacao de espacos na area cultural, a sociedade nao tem sido ofertadas, de forma ampla, todas as possibilidades de cultura.

Perspectivas da Contribuição do Transporte Ferroviário à Eficiência da Distribuição de Combustíveis (Álcool, Diesel e Gasolina) em Minas Gerais DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n20p45

Abstract: O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi analisar a logistica de distribuicao de combustivel (alcool, gasolina e diesel) no Estado de Minas Gerais. Os combustiveis, dadas suas caracteristicas fisicas e de economicidade no transporte, sao cargas consideradas cativas do transporte ferroviario. Contudo, ha predominio do transporte rodoviario reforcado pela baixa capilaridade da malha ferroviaria. Foram estimados cenarios de otimizacao e analise de sensibilidade destes resultados, sinalizando-se para valores extremamente significativos referentes a demanda reprimida no modal ferroviario, bem como seus impactos nos precos finais.

Governança corporativa e desempenho: um estudo em empresas de capital aberto no Brasil DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n19p26

Abstract: Em termos gerais, a governanca e vista como um sistema que ajuda a mitigar os custos de agencia, derivados do conflito entre proprietarios e acionistas e os representantes da alta administracao das empresas, denominados agentes. Teoricamente, eventuais reducoes no custo de agencia proporcionadas pela governanca se traduziriam em melhor desempenho. Este trabalho tem por objetivo investigar esse aspecto, analisando se a governanca afetou o desempenho de um conjunto de 20 empresas de capital aberto incluidas na listagem da Bovespa. Por meio do teste estatistico nao-parametrico de Mann-Whitney foi possivel observar que a relacao entre governanca e desempenho e controversa, no caso da amostra estudada. Isso porque muitos indicadores nao apresentaram variacoes estatisticamente significativas antes e depois da inclusao da empresa na listagem da Bovespa. Entre as possiveis causas esta o fato de que as empresas estudadas podem ter absorvido anteriormente o maior impacto da implantacao de praticas de governanca.

Transferência do conhecimento tecnológico gerado em projetos de P&D no setor elétrico brasileiro: o caso Eletronorte DOI 10.5752/P.1984-6606.2009v9n21p100

Abstract: Neste trabalho apresenta-se o estudo de caso de uma empresa do setor eletrico, tendo como objetivo analisar as acoes implementadas para a transferencia e disseminacao do conhecimento tecnologico gerado em seus projetos de pesquisa e desenvolvimento. As principais fontes de coleta de dados foram entrevistas com os gestores da empresa, documentos fornecidos e pesquisas no site da empresa. A empresa analisada tem como finalidade principal a realizacao de estudos, projetos, construcao e operacao de usinas geradoras e de sistemas de transmissao e distribuicao de energia eletrica, alem da comercializacao da energia gerada. Conclui-se que o processo de disseminacao e transferencia do conhecimento tecnologico na empresa encontra-se bem implantado pela adocao de multiplas praticas de compartilhamento do conhecimento, bem como pela concepcao de um modelo proprio para gerir a inovacao. Esta exerce papel fundamental na definicao das diretrizes estrategicas da empresa, originando-se em seu ambiente e mobilizando equipes multidisciplinares para gerar solucoes e novas ideias. A extensao da pesquisa ate o ponto de comercializacao e a formalizacao de papeis no processo de inovacao foram consideradas os pontos fortes do modelo de transferencia da empresa em estudo.