bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E-Government Regimes
Authors: Amoretti F.
Published: May 2011

The internationalization of the reform movement is changing the ways in which governments operate throughout the world (Kettl, 2000). The ICT revolution is fast spreading its reach from private enterprises to bureaucratic agencies. As a result, electronic government (e-government) is both encouraging reform and, in itself, is a way of reinventing traditional structures and procedures and improving how the machinery of decision-making works. The scale of e-government developments is the subject of much research on a global perspective (Kamark, 2004). They show different and conflicting theoretical and ideological paradigms, but very little effort has been made to formulate a framework to define the e-government regimes that emerge in different political and institutional contexts. Since the characteristics of the World Wide Web (WWW) become the parameters from which to evaluate the public organizations and their capacity to innovating in regard to technology policy, the dominant vision of e-government emphasizes service delivery. As Forlano said (2004, p. 35) “the case studies ... bring to life common classification of e-government stages … ,” not to a typology focused on political and institutional features. In this way, a crucial point is underestimated; namely, that the restructuring of the administrative apparatuses because of the WWW is a political choice, and does not take place in a institutional and ideological vacuum, which at the end of the day expresses its nature, whether democratic or otherwise (Barber, 1999).
E-Government Strategies for Poverty Reduction in Africa
Authors: Islam K. M.B.
Published: May 2011

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) launched the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) in May 1996, which serves as a guiding framework for building the information and communication infrastructure in Africa. Since the launch of AISI, ECA has been supporting member states to embark on the development of National Information and Communication Infrastructure (NICI) policies, plans and strategies, which are instrumental to materialize the visions enshrined in the AISI at the national level and to create an environment conducive for information and communication technology (ICT)-led development initiative. Thus far, more than 30 countries in the continent have embarked, in one form or the other, on the development of national ICT strategies, and more countries have expressed interests to initiate national ICT policies. One specific element of the NICI process is to realign the country’s development goals, more precisely the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) objectives, with the emerging ICT Policy. It is not an easy task, as traditionally the decision makers see ICT as a completely separate domain and often fail to see the role of ICT as a tool to attain the PRSP goals. Therefore, The Gambia NICI process was deliberately geared towards centering ICT policies and plans on the country’s declared PRSP elements. The NICI policy that was developed consciously mapped the route to underlay the ICT tools that will help the country reach its PRSP destination swiftly, efficiently and more responsibly to the people. This article illustrates an e-government strategy built on the objectives of poverty reduction as illustrated by a case study of The Gambia e-government strategy and NICI policy. The process and its evolved mechanism might serve as a model for e-government strategy and policy developers, planners and all stakeholders in general working in the area of digital governance.
Electronic Campaign Finance Reform in the American States
Authors: McNeal R. , Schmeida M.
Published: May 2011

With every new election cycle in the United States, there is a call for campaign finance reform. These regulations have come in a variety of forms, each having the goal of rebuilding trust in the voting system and government in addition to regulating election finance. With an eye toward building trust, beginning in the early 1990s, state (as well as local and federal) campaign finance regulatory agencies started implementing campaign reporting procedures that required either the replacement or augmentation of paper filing systems with electronic systems. It is hoped that these new procedures will make summaries and analyses of contributions and expenditures more easily accessible to the public as well as to government watch dogs such as interest groups and the media. The adoption of these electronic reforms (e-disclosure laws) is representative of a public service trend in the United States. Over the last several years, federal, state, and municipal governments have moved increasingly toward government adoption of electronic government (e-government) practices that “refer to the delivery of information and services via the Internet or other digital means” (West, 2004, p. 2). Each of the 50 states has implemented some type of e-government, and the federal government has created a central portal for federal services (West, 2003). This trend toward adopting e-government has not taken place without comment; it has been accompanied by speculation of the impact to both citizens and government units alike. It has been argued that because e-government can deliver services and information around the clock, it may make government more efficient and transparent to the public (Norris, 2001; West, 2003). It also has been suggested that it will make government more responsive to the public through its ability to provide communication options that are quicker and more convenient for users (Thomas & Streib, 2003). Furthermore, an online presence may reduce government costs and allows the timely update of materials and information more quickly than in traditional distribution methods (Pardo, 2000). Others (Jaeger & Thompson, 2004; Pardo, 2000) argue that e-government has the ability to increase political engagement and to create a more participatory democracy. These benefits may increase the likelihood that Internet-based reforms have a greater likelihood of adoption. Interest groups who campaign for electronic disclosure laws in order to reduce corruption and to increase transparency may find themselves aided by public administrators attracted to the cost-cutting promises of e-government.
E-Planning
Authors: Silva C. N.
Published: May 2011

E-planning is the e-government concept applied to urban and regional planning. It is the widespread use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially the Internet, in the planning system. A planning portal is the access point in the Internet, frequently in the context of a public digital city project. E-planning allows the municipality to carry out a new set of activities or to implement traditional procedures in a new form, due to geographical information systems, computer aided design and database systems, among other tools mentioned, for example, in Mohamed, Meng, and Abdullah (2003), Budthimedhee, Li, and George (2002), Campagna and Deplano (2004), and Harrison and Haklay (2002). E-planning corresponds, therefore, to the passage from a paper-based urban management system to one based primarily on electronic means of information and communication. But it must be seen as more than a simple transfer to a computer system of the traditional paper based routines (Mohamed et al., 2003; Parsol, 2004), requiring also the re-engineering of procedures, the development of a fully integrated ICT back office and, as Harrison et al. (2002) suggest, changes in the nature of the planning process itself. The aims of e-planning, such as more generally all the other components of e-government (for example, OECD, 2003; Pascual, 2003), are to provide better public services, more efficiently, with lower costs and, at the same time, to do that through more participative, transparent and more accountable decision-making processes. In its more basic level, the e-planning system only offers information and is, therefore, easier to implement. In its more advanced versions, where all or most of the planning services are delivered electronically, its implementation and daily management is not only a more complex task but it also involves more investment, as Couclelis (2004) notes for digital cities. According to the standards of e-Europe, the European Union (EU) initiative for the information society (CEC, 2000, 2002), the availability of public services online can be measured in relation to a framework of four levels of e-government maturity (CEC, 2004). Applying this scheme to the planning sector, we can consider that the first level—information—consists only in the publication of digital information through the Internet, with few or no capacities to interact. In the second level of maturity—interaction—users of the system can communicate directly with the planning department by electronic mail (one-way interaction); it is possible to download planning applications, for example. In the third level—transaction—users and the planning department communicate electronically with each other (two-way interaction); it is possible to process planning applications and to authenticate them. In the fourth level—integration—there is a full electronic handling of all planning functions.
E-Pressure through Internet against Monopoly
Authors: Gregor M.
Published: May 2011

In November 1998, a Czech e-pressure group, Internet proti Monopolu (“Internet Against Monopoly,” or IPM), was founded in order to protest planned price increases by the monopolistic domestic telecom operator, SPT Telecom, on fixed-line telephony services. The increase would principally affect local fixed-line calls and, disproportionately, the increasing number of Internet users, whose access calls to Internet service providers (ISPs) are lengthier than voice calls. SPT proposed not only to raise the price for one local-call pulse, but also to shorten it. After four weeks of petitions, boycotts, demonstrations, and negotiations, the group pushed the telecom to ease the data-call pricing structure. The Czech Internet community—computer users, Web operators, and ISPs—thus got organized, which also persuaded the Czech government to modify its telecommunications policy, positively affecting the subsequent proliferation of the Internet. IPM, on its part, was unique in a number of respects: 1. Origin: The founders came from e-media and e-business 2. Flexibility: The e-movement was able to organize major protests just two weeks after establishing itself 3. General Support: An e-petition was quickly signed by 100,000 e-citizens 4. Broad-Based Boycott: A one-day boycott of the monopoly telecom’s services by ISPs affected 60% of Czech Internet traffic and was supported by 50% of Internet users 5. Online Organization: Public demonstrations were organized and propagated exclusively in cyberspace 6. Precedent: Although IPM was the very first e-pressure group in the Czech Republic, it was a significant success From a technical and economic point of view, the slightly better price package ultimately offered to Internet users may look like a minor victory in a minor war. We should consider, however, the unlikely circumstances under which it was achieved. Czech e-communities in 1998 had a weak political/civic orientation, and predominantly concerned technologies, games, and education. Moreover, e-communities in general have several disadvantages compared with traditional communities, such as anonymity, lack of incentives toward collective action, and inexperience. In central and eastern Europe in particular, social capital is rather depleted. Decades of communist governments had largely destroyed any sense of “civic society,” and thus genuine collective action. Furthermore, people quickly turned to strictly individualistic values given sudden (post-1989) free-market conditions, and rarely engaged in group activities. Civil activism was almost unheard of in post-communist Czechoslovakia and in the Czech Republic. Besides trade unionists and farmers, few others took to the streets in the 1990s. There was, in fact, only one major labor action (by state railway employees in 1995) in this decade of relatively low unemployment in the domestic economy. Moreover, the Czech e-population in 1998 was still small, and regulated prices were raised in other industrial sector as well (gas, electricity, water utilities, rental housing), so telecommunications was not a special case.
E-Rulemaking
Authors: Coglianese C.
Published: May 2011

Throughout the world, governments use regulation to combat monopoly power, protect consumers, and reduce health, safety, and environmental risks. Regulation promotes the safety of transportation, the cleanliness of the air, and the quality of their food and drugs. Today, nearly every major aspect of contemporary public life is significantly affected by rules made by regulatory agencies, ministries, or bureaus (Kerwin, 2003). Given the consequential and complex nature of regulatory decision-making, crafting rules presents government agencies with significant informational challenges. Government regulators must collect information to understand the causes of regulatory problems, identify available regulatory options, and predict the effects of each alternative (Coglianese, Zeckhauser, & Parson, 2004). To develop a new rule, regulators must often undertake extensive studies and analyses and respond to comments from industry groups and other interested organizations. E-rulemaking—or the use of information technology in government rulemaking—promises to help regulatory agencies make rules more efficiently and with better quality (Brandon & Carlitz, 2002; Johnson, 1998). E-rulemaking may also help expand public access to and participation in government decision making. Despite the significance of regulatory decisions, they have often been made in relative obscurity, with organized business lobbies sometimes having disproportionate influence over policymaking. Information technology may facilitate greater transparency and democratic accountability in the rulemaking process. Already, regulatory agencies are making use of information technology to create Websites containing notices of new regulatory proposals and various background documents. They have also begun to allow citizens to use the Internet to share comments on new regulatory policies or engage in online dialogues (Beierle, 2003; Brandon & Carlitz, 2002). In early 2003, for example, the United States government launched a new Web portal called Regulations.Gov that allows the public to locate and comment on all new regulatory proposals announced by hundreds of federal regulatory agencies (Skrzycki, 2003). In addition, American officials are currently at work developing a government-wide, online docket system that will make available all the extensive information contained in each agency’s rulemaking files (Skrzycki, 2004). Efforts such as these are likely to continue and can be expected in other regulatory jurisdictions around the world.
E-Transformation of Societies
Authors: Zacher L. W.
Published: May 2011

Not all transformations of societies are caused by technology or are technology-driven. However, it is evident that technology is an important driving force of societal changes. To state that technology— both contemporarily and historically—largely shapes the form of societies does not necessarily mean the acceptance of technological determinism (as the philosophical approach). It can be viewed just as a statement concerning the hard facts. In the 20th century the rapid development of technology marked a new era. In order to describe and interpret this situation several new terms have been coined, as well as concepts and theories. Usually they underline the revolutionary character of technological change. In 1939, Bernal coined the term “scientific and technological revolution”, which meant the joint effects of revolutions in science and in technology and their feedbacks. More than two decades later Kuhn (1962) developed and popularized his paradigmatic view of science and its revolutionary breakthroughs. It is needless to add that there are close—and to great extent causal—relations between science and technology. As a result of thinking in terms of scientific and technological revolutions or paradigms there was a tendency to use them in the theory of social change. In the late 1960s and 1970s some attempts were made within the Marxist theoretical orientation (Feenberg, 1991) to create an overarching theory of scientific and technological revolution including social change (e.g., Richta—see Zacher, 1995). Western theoreticians, having more experience with high tech and its practical impacts, were describing them using somewhat different nomenclature Ackoff (1974), Brzezinski (1970), and Masuda (1981) preferred cybernetic revolution, the Age of Systems, the Information Era, the Technetronic Era, the electronics revolution (also called the microelectronics or microprocessor revolution), the computer revolution, the information revolution, and the like (Friedrichs & Schaff, 1982; Forester, 1984). With reference to science and technology such terms as materials revolution and biological (or biotechnological) revolution were also in use. Somewhat later a new term arrived, Internet revolution.
Factors Affecting Access to Electronic Informaitn and Their Implications
Authors: Kebede G.
Published: May 2011

Information is a key ingredient in everyday life of the individual and the society at large. Information has become increasingly more important with the emergence of information society. Information and knowledge are key resources, and generation and communication of these is the mainstay of the workforce in the emerging information society. Because of the value that information has in the day-to-day life and development of human beings, the right to information is held as a basic right of individuals in many countries. Information and knowledge exist in oral, print, and electronic forms. However, information and knowledge have little value unless they are accessed when needed in a form they are needed. If access to existing information does not take place, the potential benefits of possessing of information will be lost. In other words, the key to unleashing the benefits of information and knowledge is effective access to them. As such access to information is recognized to be an instrument to help citizens to realize their own potential; to increase their skills, knowledge and capacity; and to take part in and benefit from information society (FARN, 2001). Scientific progress also depends upon the accessibility of existing scientific knowledge upon which new knowledge is built.
From E-Government to E-Democracy in China
Authors: Lan L.
Published: May 2011

Endowed with 5,000 years of ancient tradition and heritage, China is reputed as the single oldest uninterrupted civilization in the world. Ancient Chinese made great contributions to mankind by the invention of the compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and printing, which are recorded in history as the Four Great Inventions. For centuries, China has been one of the world’s most technologically advanced civilizations and the most dominant cultural influence to the East Asia region. In the 21st century, China’s resurgence as one of the preeminent powers brings worldwide attention. With its population of nearly 1.3 billion, its expansive territory, and its huge market potentials, China’s modern development will continue to benefit the world, just as it did in ancient history. Today, science and technology long have preoccupied China’s policymakers, and there is an urgent need for China to wield modern information and communication technology (ICT) in order to reinvent government regime. However, the legacies of thousands of years of feudalistic tradition and the ideological control over the Mao era, which lasted for nearly three decades, make it difficult to revolutionize the country’s governance system promptly. Therefore, the Chinese government had to adopt a gradual and steady approach toward social democratic reform. Through this process, e-government projects play an important role; for example, a national electronic audit network has given impetus to China’s fiscal transparency and public expenditure management. This article is organized as follows: First, there is a brief historical retrospect of China’s cultural background; second, there is an introduction of current main e-government projects in China; finally, upon the analysis of the progression of fiscal transparency in China, an optimistic expectation of China’s future e-government and e-democracy is given.
Historical and Contemporary Perspectives of Media and Citizenship
Authors: Flew T.
Published: May 2011

Citizenship has long been connected to communication media. Popular media have been both the relay points between the governing and the governed for purposes of developing nations and citizen identities as well as the places for articulating discontent with the unjust, illegitimate, or unpopular uses of public authority. Yet, one often struggles to find reference to the significance of media to the formation of citizenship practices and identities, particularly in mainstream political science literature. It has been largely in the field of cultural history, through the work of authors such as Benedict Anderson (1991) and Michael Schudson (1994), that a conception of citizenship is linked explicitly to the technologies and institutions of media communication.
How Business Changes Government in the Information Age
Authors: Heijden J. V.D.
Published: May 2011

EzGov is a leading company providing online solutions for governments. Ed Trimble, EzGov CEO, states, “He’s doing something that’s changing government, that’s changing the world, that’s really making a difference” (Diana, 2004). This article is about changing government. Considered as the main agent to change government are politics. Mainstream studies of public administration also consider government itself, judges and citizens as change agents. This fits with the classical, liberal vision on the public domain, wherein these parties are the only known subjects (see Howlett & Ramesh, 1995, pp. 52-59; Stone, 1997, pp. 351-372). In this vision companies are considered to be citizens. Problem then is to see clearly the profound influence business has on governmental change. With increasing velocity information technology products appear on the market that are especially designed to change government. Also with other products the government buys its own change, for instance with management consultancy. In the study of public administration a good view lacks on the importance business has here in changing government. That’s the focus of this article, what’s its purpose? First purpose is to give an explanation of the way business changes government with the products it sells. Second purpose is to come up with ideas on how to deliberately accept change of government by way of business products. How to do that in a way that both government and business will function better and present society with legitimate solutions for physical and social problems?
Intergovernmental Digital Governance through G2G Relationships and Applications
Authors: Dawes S. S.
Published: May 2011

Increasing governmental complexity is a global phenomenon marked by the need for multiple organizations to interconnect their policies, business processes, information, and systems in the service of shared public goals. These goals encompass some of the most important responsibilities of government including environmental stewardship, education, healthcare, and public safety. For these kinds of responsibilities, working across both vertical and horizontal boundaries is an essential feature and fundamental challenge.
Legal Issues for E-Government in Developing Countries
Authors: Basu S.
Published: May 2011

The development of government online should be seen as an evolutionary process (Morison, 2003). The rate of evolution depends on complex factors (Morison, 2003), including perceived incompatibilities between cultures and technologies, an idealistic preference for self-reliance, and a simple lack of economic or human resources to acquire and utilise the technology. Notwithstanding these causes, effective use of ICTs is biased by race, gender, and location. However, the technologies have been developed to a large extent in and for the cultural and social norms of a small number of developed countries. Although there are global flows of knowledge, skills, and artefacts from the epicenters of e-government in the industrialised world to transitional and developing economies, these flows are more unidirectional transfers than bidirectional exchanges (Minogue, 2001). This article attempts to provide a cognitive map of two of the major issues. First, it provides an overview of the legal issues related to e-government from the perspective of developing countries, and second, it critically examines how far technology leapfrogging could serve as an alternative pathway toward development of e-government in developing countries.
Net Diplomacy
Authors: Yannas P.
Published: May 2011

Looking back to the not-so-distant past, one is struck to learn how much the world has changed in the last 30 to 35 years. New developments in major spheres of activity and new ways of knowing have altered, redefined or even transformed, in some cases, the ways we think, act and do things in the world. Changes are evident in all walks of life. In global politics, the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism have brought to the fore new actors and new issues. Nation-states are the principal but not the sole actors on the world stage. International organizations (IOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), transnational corporations, social movements and other non-state entities like media organizations and terrorist groups play an important role in setting the agenda and exerting influence on a global scale. Traditional concerns of sovereignty and security are still important, but policy-makers and academics are asked to re-conceptualize these concepts in lieu of the challenges posed by globalization and new threats to human security, like economic and ecological degradation, terrorism, massive immigration flows, the spread of infectious diseases and contamination of the food chain, to name a few.
New Governance Strategies for a Government IT Policy
Authors: Nava A. S.
Published: May 2011

Looking back to the not-so-distant past, one is struck to learn how much the world has changed in the last 30 to 35 years. New developments in major spheres of activity and new ways of knowing have altered, redefined or even transformed, in some cases, the ways we think, act and do things in the world. Changes are evident in all walks of life. In global politics, the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism have brought to the fore new actors and new issues. Nation-states are the principal but not the sole actors on the world stage. International organizations (IOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), transnational corporations, social movements and other non-state entities like media organizations and terrorist groups play an important role in setting the agenda and exerting influence on a global scale. Traditional concerns of sovereignty and security are still important, but policy-makers and academics are asked to re-conceptualize these concepts in lieu of the challenges posed by globalization and new threats to human security, like economic and ecological degradation, terrorism, massive immigration flows, the spread of infectious diseases and contamination of the food chain, to name a few.
Open-Source and Public Sector Environmental Information Services
Authors: Masouras A.
Published: May 2011

Free open/source software (FOSS) is a new software development paradigm that emerged in the last decade and relies directly on the volunteer efforts of geographically dispersed developers of varying professional affiliations and proficiencies, that are coordinated in ad-hoc schemes, based on recognition of the work carried out by relevant “core groups” of volunteers, and follow pragmatic directions, emerging from community feedback. In direct contrast with previously established business practices (Raymond, 2000), this software development paradigm is fuelled by full disclosure of the source code, volunteer effort, and a number of “freedoms” granted to the software user regarding his ability to interact with the software and propagate its use. By promoting code reuse and the adaptation of freely available best practices, FOSS development practices minimize redundancy and concentrate “investment” on innovation (Von Hippel & Von Krogh, 2003). The support FOSS projects receive, from the user-developer community, serves to provide guidance, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance software sustainability, while the service-oriented model of FOSS allows for a broad range of contractors to provide support, and helps in minimizing the total cost of ownership. It is these characteristics FOSS, as we will demonstrate in this article, that render it flexible, economical and reusable, and thus appropriate for use in building publicly funded information and communication technology (ICT) projects (Infonomics, 2002), especially those aiming at the dissemination of information to citizens, such as online environmental portals.
An Opportunity for E-Democracy in Rebuilding Lower Manhattan
Authors: Green C. G. , Murrmann S. K.
Published: May 2011

Following the events of September 11, 2001 (9-11), the Civic Alliance to Rebuild Downtown New York established a forum for the purposes of gathering citizen opinions on the nature of the rebuilding of New York City’s Lower Manhattan area. Citizens gave their opinions on the development of space for a memorial, performing arts spaces, museums, restaurants, hotels, residences and businesses. This effort was named “Listening to the City.” Civic Alliance organized two types of citizen opinion-gathering strategies: face-to-face focus groups and online dialog focus groups (www.listeningtothecity.org). The purpose of this article is to assess citizen satisfaction with veness of the online format of citizen involvement in making decisions regarding the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan following the attacks of 9-11. The results contribute to our understanding of the use of Internet technology in gathering citizen opinions in urban development and planning.
Participatory Geographic Information Science
Authors: Nyerges T. L. , Jankowski P.
Published: May 2011

A majority of governmental problems are geographical in character and are becoming more complex as citizens/residents expect more for less. Governance, among many things, involves allocating human, natural, monetary, and infrastructure resources within and across jurisdictional boundaries in an efficient, effective, and equitable manner. Such allocations are becoming increasingly more challenging under budget constraints. Many public policy problems are called “wicked” and “ill-structured” (Rittel & Webber, 1973) because they contain intangibles not easily quantified and modelled. The scoping of such problems includes structures only partially known or burdened by uncertainties, and potential solutions mired by competing interests. Examples of such problems in a geographic domain include locally unwanted land uses (LULUs) such as landfill and hazardous waste facility siting, and more recently, polluted urban land use (so-called brownfield) redevelopment projects called into question due to the potential for increasing neighbourhood contamination. Dealing with locational conflict in an open manner is becoming more important as citizen-stakeholder participation increases in public policy/problem circumstances (Crowfoot & Wondolleck 1990).
The Role of E-Parliament in Hungary
Authors: Kerteszne-Gerecz E.
Published: May 2011

The supreme legislative power of the Republic of Hungary is the unicameral National Assembly, which has 386 members. The 1990 political changeover expedited the development of democratic institutions and substantially increased their importance. Besides the traditional media, electronic information has assumed an increasingly important role (European Commission, 1999). The change of paradigm in the management of information is made necessary by the recognition that knowledge supports politics. Parliamentary work is one of the main sources of this. Thus, Parliament and its standing committees function as systems acquiring and processing information. These systems have so far tried to produce information from largely unstructured data in the course of written and verbal communication. According to the new paradigm systematisation of the knowledge of the organisation and the environment will generate the knowledge base which will be suitable for upgrading the quality of political and professional processes (Hungarian Government, 2003). The work in Parliament, the utterances of politicians are in the forefront of public attention. Therefore the staff of the Office of the National Assembly should provide access to current and accurate information on a continuous basis. In the information age this is a serious challenge for Parliament. This is why it has become necessary to determine the demands that electronic Parliament (e-Parliament) has to meet, and to devise ways for their gradual and systematic satisfaction.
Skilling for E-Government
Authors: Druke H.
Published: May 2011

Implementing e-government in local, regional, or central administration represents a far-reaching modernisation of governing the public affairs. Therefore, in training it is not sufficient to train users in new programs as in the case of f.i. further training in a new office application. To understand and actively influence the restructuring that, by necessity, goes along with the introduction of e-government a broader approach in e-skilling is needed. For Grabow, Drüke, H., and Siegfried (2002), e-skilling is one of the ten factors for success in local e-government. Schelin (2004) goes into the same direction when she points out: “With the era of digital government upon us, Federal, state, and local governments need to prepare their elected officials and employees to handle the multitude of changes incorporated into digital government. However, the lack of training opportunities, as well as the lack of research dedicated to training for digital government, is ominous for successful digital government endeavour ...” (Schelin, 2004, p. 273). Whereas Schelin in this encyclopaedia, presents the content and methods of an advanced training module this contribution focuses on the competencies that are required to enable the different user groups to be up-to-date for the new challenges that are ahead of them. In accordance to that approach in the first chapter the basic challenges that different user groups have to face when being confronted with e-government as a comprehensive modernisation concept.
Successful Implementation of an E-Government Project
Authors: Rondeaux G.
Published: May 2011

Challenged to multiple pressures, the administration developed many initiatives aimed at modernizing its practices and offering the citizen customer (Thomas, 1999) a faster and better-quality service (OECD, 1996). From this perspective, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is presented as an essential means of modernization (Poullet & Van Bastelaer, 1999). However, the declarations of intent sometime seem to be difficult to translate into efficient projects integrated in civil servants’ daily work practices. A lot of case studies focus on best practices or analyze the reasons of failure of several e-government projects. There are fewer studies that position upstream and try to identify the key success factors of the introduction of ICTs into public services regarding their acceptance and appropriation by internal users.
Third-Generation Local E-Government
Authors: Grabow B.
Published: May 2011

Local e-government reflects an ongoing process of modernization. Like all processes of innovation and modernization, the development of e-government is also characterized by various phases and cycles. These phases of development are fundamentally similar, whether they are implemented in a country that is a pioneer of e-government or a country that is among the stragglers in the electronic modernization of the administration. As to the specific mechanisms, the obstacles and the driving forces of modernization vary from one country to another. At the same time, there are differences in the introduction and development of e-government between the different levels of government. National e-government strategies and possibilities are subject to different conditions than a local e-government. The national differences and the differences between various levels of government depend on factors such as the state constitution, the institutional circumstances, work cultures, modernization strategies, IT equipment, Internet access, or financial resources (Drüke, 2005b, p. 286-291; Eifert, 2004; Socitm & I&DeA, 2002, p. 8). This is important as a preliminary remark for the limitation in the scope of this study, which is focused on Germany and specifically the local government level. However, these perspectives are naturally reflected in the international discussion about good e-government.
Toward U-Government in Japan
Authors: Obi T.
Published: May 2011

Japan is set to move forward to developing a broadband and ubiquitous network society as envisioned under the concept of an advanced information society. And the successful implementation of e-government in Japan will serve as the foundation to achieving this goal. How does e-government affect the government itself, the business sector and the citizens? According to a 2005 user survey by the Institute of E-Government, the two main benefits of e-government are improved accessibility to information and transaction, and greater accountability from the government. To administer e-government in the country, the role of public sector and computerizations in various government agencies were taken into consideration. However, if computerization is limited to central government, this is of limited benefit to citizens. Thus, for communication between citizens and government, there is a need to go mainly through local government, not the central government directly. There is also a need to refer to e-municipality or e-local government, considering it of equal importance to e-government. It is also important to take into account issues against some aspects of an information society, but being overly anxious about them causes obstacles to promoting e-government. These issues include information security problems, lack of unified management of agencies and the risk of socio-economic digital divide. As such, one of the problems that every country has to face in promoting e-government is the legal system, embedded in every democratic government. Computerization and informatization of the government is, in one respect, an effective administrative and fiscal reform, but requires legal mandates. Thus, reforms in the legal system, including regulation system, are inevitably called for.
Web-Based Information System at the Brazilian Ministry of Finance
Authors: Trevisani A. T. , Zwicker R.
Published: May 2011

The current standard of global economic growth incorporates a disposition to undertake investments in information technology that will provide public organizations with costs reduction processes and an increase in flexibility and efficiency. The Internet technology is an outstanding case that quickly occupied a significant and increasing importance relative to the changes that are occurring at the economic and social environment. The institutional presence of the government on the Internet evolved from a simple channel to furnish information to an instrument able to aggregate, to the consolidated communication ways, new forms of relationship and supply of services to the citizen (Takahashi, 2000). This coincides with a global tendency to transform simple informative Web sites in complex transactional systems, configuring a new model to collect and distribute information (Isakowitz, Bieber, & Vitali, 1998; Marche & McNiven, 2003). It should be considered that many times the technological infrastructure and human resources capability of the government vary widely, depending on the geographical region of the country. In function of this, the internal systems, which give support to the operation of the government machine, can be benefited through the use of Web technology, if they are inserted in the resources sharing and access distribution paradigm (McLean, 1999). Web applications development of internal scope can keep little direct relation with the universal access of citizens to public services, however, can represent the universal access to scarce resources by geographical and socially dispersed government representations. This article reports an experience of Web technology use along the deployment of an internal Web-based information system (WIS) at a Brazilian government agency. The importance of the technology is emphasized as evidenced through development rapidity, distribution economy, and operational simplicity of the developed system. Broader reflexes that reach the citizen are also discussed.
Sampling in Online Surveys
Authors: Beidernikl G.
Published: May 2011

Online surveys have grown very popular in the past few years. They offer some major advantages compared to paper-and-pencil surveys. Nevertheless, they arise some difficulties when online survey methods are applied – this concerns especially sampling and the question of representation. This article introduces to the particularities of sampling in online surveys and discusses the limitation of research settings (online surveys) for achieving population representation in the research sample.
Measuring Intrinsic Motivations
Authors: Reynolds L.
Published: May 2011

Numerous instruments have been created over the last several decades for measuring both extrinsic and intrinsic values as they are made manifest in Western culture. Although many of these instruments are well-balanced and have strong internal validity, more progress needs to be made specifically with the items being used. If this can be done, then it may be possible for a great leap of progress in measuring the intrinsic values. It is very difficult to gain understanding about how to bridge the small differences in sub-cultures if surveys continue to gloss over delicate areas that are the very reasons for sub-culture disagreements. This chapter reviews current measurement instruments for measuring both extrinsic and intrinsic values. It gives a sample of a specific study and makes a call for improved intrinsic instruments in the future.
Web Survey Methodology (WebSM) Portalatform
Authors: Manfreda Katja Lozar , Vehovar Vasja
Published: May 2011

The chapter describes a Web portal, dedicated to survey research, using modern information-communication technologies, especially the WWW. Although supported by EU since 2002, it provides worldwide visitors information on events (e.g., scientific meetings, calls for papers, projects), software, and literature on the methodology and implementation of Web surveys. The most valuable databases are the bibliography (including over 2,000 entries) and software/services databases (including over 500 entries).
Celebrity-Persona Identification Scale
Authors: Brown W.
Published: May 2011

The celebrity-persona parasocial identification scale (CPI) is designed to measure how media consumers develop identification with celebrities or popular fictional characters. Identification is defined as a persuasion process that occurs when an individual adopts the behavior or attitudes of another individual or group based on a self-defining relationship (Kelman, 1961, p. 63). Identification is a psychological orientation through which individuals define themselves based on their group membership and derive “strength and a sense of identity” from the affiliation (Kelman, 1961, p.64). Identification is a fundamental process of social change that has been discussed by several important theorists and social scientists. Freud (1922, p. 29) defined identification as “the earliest expression of an emotional tie with another person.” Lasswell (1965) also discussed the concept, referring to mass identifications such as nationalism. Johnson, Johnson and Heimberg (1999) traced the concept of identification to both Freud and Lasswell.
The Listening Styles Profile
Authors: Sargent S.
Published: May 2011

Traditionally, communication scholars have been most concerned with how, when, where, and with whom individuals choose to communicate. While investigating communication events from an encoder perspective is important, it is equally important to investigate communication from a decoder perspective. Many researchers agree that gaining insight into the listening process—how individuals perceive, process, remember and understand oral messages—should enhance our understanding of communication events substantially. There appears to be a good deal of theoretical support for the notion that listening is a multidimensional concept. For example, descriptions of listening constructs such as “appreciative,” “critical,” “discriminative,” and therapeutic” appear throughout the literature. Furthermore, empirical evidence provided by broadly administered listening performance tests highlights considerable individual differences across divergent constructs such as content, relational, and emotional listening. Differences in listening styles reflect attitudes, beliefs, and predispositions about the how, where, when, who, and what of information reception and encoding. Several examples illustrate the diversity of listening styles. Some people prefer listening to factual information or statistics while others favor personal examples and illustrations. Some are more willing to linger on content while others prefer concise and to the point presentations. The Listening Styles Profile (LSP-16) was developed to identify an individual’s predominant listening style (Watson, Barker, & Weaver, 1995). The Listening Styles Profile is a sixteen item inventory designed to assess four distinct listening preferences labeled people, action, content, and time.
Leadership Practicies Inventory
Authors: Berry S. , Woods R.
Published: May 2011

The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) (Posner & Kouzes, 2002) was designed to measure what people did when they were at their “personal best” in leading others. Beginning their work in 1983, Posner and Kouzes approached leadership as a measurable, learnable and teachable set of behaviors. The LPI was created by developing a set of statements describing each of the identified five leadership actions and behaviors: modeling, inspiring, challenging, enabling and encouraging. Each statement is based on a 10-point Likert scale with higher values representing more frequent use of a leadership behavior. The LPI consists of 30 statements, six for each leadership action/behavior. Both self and observer forms are available and subject to the same psychometric analyses. Participating individuals first complete a self (leader) form and then request five to 10 individuals who interact with that person to complete the observer form. The LPI takes 10 minutes to complete and may be scored by hand or computer