Qué es el Gobierno Qué es el Gobierno Electrónico? Electrónico?

Professor Helen MargettsProfessor Helen Margetts

Oxford Internet InstituteOxford Internet Institute

University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford

www.governmentontheweb.org, www.oii.ox.ac.uk

What is e-government?What is e-government?

The use by government of the internet and The use by government of the internet and related information technologies internally related information technologies internally and to communicate with citizens, and to communicate with citizens, businesses, NGOs and other governments businesses, NGOs and other governments

The electronic element of The electronic element of governmentgovernment

1950s: 1950s: Bureaucracy + defence, scientific ITBureaucracy + defence, scientific IT 1960s - 70s: 1960s - 70s: Bureaucracy + large scale computer systemsBureaucracy + large scale computer systems 1970s - 80s: 1970s - 80s: Bureaucracy + databases, networks of PCsBureaucracy + databases, networks of PCs 1990s – 00s: 1990s – 00s: Bureaucracy + ‘Government on the Web’ Bureaucracy + ‘Government on the Web’

Internet and web-based technologies offer real possibility of Internet and web-based technologies offer real possibility of transformation of state-societal relationships – in contrast to earlier transformation of state-societal relationships – in contrast to earlier information technologies which were largely internally facinginformation technologies which were largely internally facing

Government IT now > 1% of GDP of most industrialised states Government IT now > 1% of GDP of most industrialised states (UK spends £14 billion annually)(UK spends £14 billion annually)

How is e-government different How is e-government different from government?from government?

More bureaucratic More bureaucratic – increased rationalization?– increased rationalization?

More chaoticMore chaotic – increase in fluidity and flexibility? – increase in fluidity and flexibility?

TransformationTransformation

Policy criticality of Policy criticality of e-governmente-government

Functionality of government depends on reliability of Functionality of government depends on reliability of large-scale information systems large-scale information systems

eg. taxation, welfare administration, defence, law and eg. taxation, welfare administration, defence, law and order, border controlorder, border control

Technological innovation drives policy innovation Technological innovation drives policy innovation eg.eg.

Biometric identity cardsBiometric identity cards DNA data, genetic dataDNA data, genetic data Electronic tagging Electronic tagging Road pricingRoad pricing

e-government: e-government: practice and potentialpractice and potential

IT central to internal processes of governmentIT central to internal processes of government Internet allows easy communication between computers Internet allows easy communication between computers

– unlike earlier IT– unlike earlier IT Widespread societal usage means real possibility for Widespread societal usage means real possibility for

transformation of governments’ interactions with society transformation of governments’ interactions with society Web-based innovations cheaper and lower risk (build-Web-based innovations cheaper and lower risk (build-

and-learn technologies) than earlier ITand-learn technologies) than earlier IT

BUT e-government lags behind e-society & e-commerce BUT e-government lags behind e-society & e-commerce in many countriesin many countries

WHY?WHY?

Challenges for E-government – Challenges for E-government – supply sidesupply side

New web-based initiatives must link with legacy systems New web-based initiatives must link with legacy systems Government online should be more transparent – but can be Government online should be more transparent – but can be

more complex, confusing, difficult to controlmore complex, confusing, difficult to control Governments struggle to maintain technical expertise (and Governments struggle to maintain technical expertise (and

compete with private sector for skills)compete with private sector for skills) Most governments outsource large proportion of e-Most governments outsource large proportion of e-

government to private sector computer services providersgovernment to private sector computer services providers New markets of providers of government IT develop – all New markets of providers of government IT develop – all

shapes and sizesshapes and sizes Relationship management with new players is major part of Relationship management with new players is major part of

e-governmente-government

Challenges for E-government – Challenges for E-government – demand sidedemand side

Citizens interact with governments less than commercial Citizens interact with governments less than commercial organisations (and often for negative reasons)organisations (and often for negative reasons)

Citizens must be incentivized to use e-governmentCitizens must be incentivized to use e-government Digital divides – always some groups who do not have Digital divides – always some groups who do not have

internet accessinternet access So, channel management is importantSo, channel management is important But, E-government that citizens don’t use is E-xpensive But, E-government that citizens don’t use is E-xpensive

governmentgovernment

Key underlying factors in Key underlying factors in e-government developmente-government development

Political support for e-governmentPolitical support for e-government Financial commitmentFinancial commitment New public management reform and New public management reform and

fragmentationfragmentation Contracting regime: (ratio of market Contracting regime: (ratio of market

power/expertise vis a vis government)power/expertise vis a vis government)Government in-house capacityGovernment in-house capacityMarket power of largest firmsMarket power of largest firmsEmphasis on competitionEmphasis on competition

Administrative culture: cultural barriersAdministrative culture: cultural barriers

Australia: e-governmentAustralia: e-government

World leader in e-government up to 1999 World leader in e-government up to 1999 Big agencies lead the field–- Australian Big agencies lead the field–- Australian

Tax Office, Centrelink (social welfare), Tax Office, Centrelink (social welfare), Employment Employment

BUTBUTJoined-up initiatives scattered and Joined-up initiatives scattered and

episodic – multiple central agencies episodic – multiple central agencies Failed contracting initiative leaves global Failed contracting initiative leaves global

providers in dominant position providers in dominant position

UK: e-governmentUK: e-government High levels of political support High levels of political support Financial commitment and central resourcesFinancial commitment and central resourcesBUTBUT Poor performance of government IT systems (high Poor performance of government IT systems (high

disaster rate)disaster rate) Highly oligopolistic contracting regime (top 5 have Highly oligopolistic contracting regime (top 5 have

90% of market)90% of market) High index of corporate power vis a vis central High index of corporate power vis a vis central

governmentgovernment Administrative culture adverse to Internet innovationAdministrative culture adverse to Internet innovation E-government take-up is lowE-government take-up is low

Canada: e-governmentCanada: e-government

World e-government leader in consultancy rankingsWorld e-government leader in consultancy rankings High levels of political support, sound financial commitment High levels of political support, sound financial commitment

and central initiativesand central initiatives Across the board success: incremental approachAcross the board success: incremental approach Excellent government: industry power ratio (government Excellent government: industry power ratio (government

retains expertise)retains expertise)BUTBUT Future success reliant on ‘super-project’ (the Secure Future success reliant on ‘super-project’ (the Secure

Channel) CA $1.2 billion Channel) CA $1.2 billion ……tendered to ‘inter-galactic’ consortium of contractorstendered to ‘inter-galactic’ consortium of contractors

New Zealand e-governmentNew Zealand e-government

Many drivers towards e-government success Many drivers towards e-government success (techno-culture, geographical separation, (techno-culture, geographical separation, dispersed country, small population) dispersed country, small population)

BUTBUT High levels of organisational fragmentationHigh levels of organisational fragmentation Low levels of e-government expenditure Low levels of e-government expenditure Very low central government vis a vis corporate Very low central government vis a vis corporate

power/expertise indexpower/expertise index

USA e-governmentUSA e-government

High levels of political support and financial High levels of political support and financial commitmentcommitment

Major successes in some areas (eg e-tax benefits Major successes in some areas (eg e-tax benefits from pragmatic approach)from pragmatic approach)

Diffuse government IT market (top 5 have 20%)Diffuse government IT market (top 5 have 20%)BUTBUT Lack of central co-ordinationLack of central co-ordination Confusing governmental presence, central portal Confusing governmental presence, central portal

came late, proliferation of web sitescame late, proliferation of web sites Legacy systems in big agencies remain problem – Legacy systems in big agencies remain problem –

and spiralling costand spiralling cost

Netherlands: e-governmentNetherlands: e-government

Innovative and entrepeneurial approachInnovative and entrepeneurial approach High levels of political support High levels of political support Networked culture helps inter-agency co-Networked culture helps inter-agency co-

operationoperation Good performance of government IT systemsGood performance of government IT systems Good government-industry relations and Good government-industry relations and

networks (very diffuse market)networks (very diffuse market)BUTBUT Big organisational variationsBig organisational variations Lack of central co-ordinationLack of central co-ordination

Japan: e-governmentJapan: e-government

Highly reliable government IT systemsHighly reliable government IT systemsBUTBUT Political support and central initiatives came latePolitical support and central initiatives came late Autonomous ministries resist collaborative Autonomous ministries resist collaborative

initiativesinitiatives Oligopolistic contracting regime, dominated by Oligopolistic contracting regime, dominated by

huge domestic players, no in-house expertisehuge domestic players, no in-house expertise Administrative culture highly adverse to Internet Administrative culture highly adverse to Internet

innovationinnovation Japan struggles to introduce e-governmentJapan struggles to introduce e-government

How countries rate on How countries rate on measures of the IT industry’s measures of the IT industry’s

power/influencepower/influence

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

UK Australia Japan NZ Canada USA Netherlands

De-emphasis on open competition Market dominance of large firms

Little public sector in-house capacity

Demand side variation in usage of e-Demand side variation in usage of e-government government

% total population

2003 20022001

Netherlands 52 41 31

Canada 51 48 46

Australia 47 46 31

New Zealand 45 40 NA

USA 44 43 34

UK 18 13 11

Japan 15 13 17

Source: Taylor Nelson Sofres (2003)

Digital-era GovernanceDigital-era Governancetrends for the futuretrends for the future

ReintegrationReintegration – roll back of agencification, – roll back of agencification, joined up governance, in-sourcing, shared joined up governance, in-sourcing, shared servicesservices

Needs-based holismNeeds-based holism – one-stop, zero-stop – one-stop, zero-stop provision, client based organization, end-to-end provision, client based organization, end-to-end service re-engineeringservice re-engineering

Digitisation changesDigitisation changes – agencies ‘become’ their – agencies ‘become’ their web-sites, electronic services delivery, zero-web-sites, electronic services delivery, zero-touch technology, customer segmentationtouch technology, customer segmentation

But none are inevitable

Benefits of e-government:Benefits of e-government:raising nodality? raising nodality?

Key tool of government isKey tool of government is nodality nodality – ‘the proper – ‘the property of being in the middle ty of being in the middle of information or social networks’ (other tools are authority, treasure and of information or social networks’ (other tools are authority, treasure and organisation)organisation)

E-government offers tremendous potential for increasing government E-government offers tremendous potential for increasing government nodality – even without e-transactions eg. UK has around 10 million web nodality – even without e-transactions eg. UK has around 10 million web pagespages

‘‘Nodal’ e-government will be more visible, more accessible – and cheaperNodal’ e-government will be more visible, more accessible – and cheaper

BUT, government faces new competition for nodality:BUT, government faces new competition for nodality: Competition from e-commerce, other e-governments, e-banks, e-Competition from e-commerce, other e-governments, e-banks, e-

travel companies, e-media.......travel companies, e-media....... Most people use search – so nodality of e-government in hands of Most people use search – so nodality of e-government in hands of

Google, MSN etc. Google, MSN etc.

Developing ‘healthy’ e-government? Developing ‘healthy’ e-government?

‘‘Healthy’ e-governmentHealthy’ e-government High visibility (high number of ‘in-links’, high on search engine rankings)High visibility (high number of ‘in-links’, high on search engine rankings) Interconnectedness (‘small world’ characteristics) – dependent on size, Interconnectedness (‘small world’ characteristics) – dependent on size,

structure etc.structure etc. With a ‘healthy’ domain, government gains ‘nodality’ in the on-line worldWith a ‘healthy’ domain, government gains ‘nodality’ in the on-line world

‘‘Unhealthy’ e-governmentUnhealthy’ e-government Suffers net loss of nodality in internet world - Suffers net loss of nodality in internet world - if other organisations are more sophisticated at increasing visibility, if other organisations are more sophisticated at increasing visibility,

structuring domains....structuring domains.... government can lose a (global) competition it was not aware of enteringgovernment can lose a (global) competition it was not aware of entering And e-government becomes less – not more - efficientAnd e-government becomes less – not more - efficient

Qué es el Gobierno ElectrónicoQué es el Gobierno Electrónico??