bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interoperability Middleware for Federated Business Services in Web-Pilarcos
Authors: Kutvonen Lea , Ruokolainen Toni , Metso Janne
Published: May 2011

Participation in electronic business networks has become necessary for the success of enter¬prises. The strategic business needs for participating in multiple networks simultaneously and for managing changes in these networks are re?ected as new requirements for the supporting computing facilities. The Web-Pilarcos architecture addresses the needs of managed collabo¬ration and interoperability of autonomous business services in an inter-organisational context. The Web-Pilarcos B2B middleware is designed for lowering the cost of collaboration estab¬lishment and to facilitate management and maintenance of electronic business networks. The approach is a federated one: All business services are developed independently and the B2B middleware services are used to ensure that technical, semantic and pragmatic interoperability is maintained in the business network. In the architecture and middleware functionality design, attention has been given to the dynamic aspects and evolution of the network. This article dis¬cusses the concepts provided for application and business network creators and the supporting middleware-level knowledge repositories for interoperability support.
Finding e-Service Offerings by Computer-Supported Customer Need Reasoning
Authors: Baida Ziv , Gordijn Jaap , Akkermans Hans , Saele Hanne , Morch Andrei Z.
Published: May 2011

We outline a rigorous approach that models how companies can electronically offer packages of independent services (service bundles). Its objective is to support prospective Website visitors in defining and buying service bundles that fit their specific needs and demands. The various services in the bundle may be offered by different suppliers. To enable this scenario, it is necessary that software can reason about customer needs and available service offerings. Our approach for tackling this issue is based on recent advances in computer and information science, where information about a domain at hand is conceptualized and formalized using ontologies and subsequently represented in machine-interpretable form. The substantive part from our ontology derives from broadly accepted service management and marketing concepts from business studies literature. In earlier work, we concentrated on the service bundling process itself. In the present chapter, we discuss how to ensure that the created bundles indeed meet customer demands. Experience of Norwegian energy utilities shows that severe financial losses can be caused when companies offer service bundles without a solid foundation for the bundle-creation process and without an in-depth understanding of customer needs and demands. We use a running case example from the Norwegian energy sector to demonstrate how we put theory into practice.
The Value of Search Engine Optimization
Authors: Malaga Ross A.
Published: May 2011

A Web site that wants to increase its number of visitors can pay for search engine ads or attempt to improve its natural search engine ranking. Nobody really knows, which, if either, of these methods provides a positive return on investment (ROI). A search engine optimization (SEO) project was undertaken at a new e-commerce site. The site’s search engine rankings and traffic were measured after each phase in the project. The results indicate that SEO is an effective method for improving search engine rankings and site traffic. In addition, the costs and benefits of the SEO project are compared with a pay-per-click (PPC) search marketing campaign. The SEO project proved more cost effective than the PPC campaign.
The Potential of B2B Commerce for Competitive Advantage
Authors: McIvor Ronan , Humphreys Paul
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the implications of business-to-business (B2B) commerce for the buyer-supplier interface. Innovations in electronic commerce have a key role to play in managing inter-organizational networks of supply chain members. The evidence presented in this chapter illustrates that the Internet represents a powerful technology for commerce and communication at the buyer-supplier interface. Internet technologies are having a considerable impact on the communication patterns at the buyer-supplier interface. It is shown how electronic commerce technologies have the potential to create competitive advantage through radically changing the structure and interaction patterns at the buyer-supplier interface. The chapter identifies a number of areas where electronic commerce technologies can make a contribution to the creation of competitive advantage. While the Internet offers ways for organizations to communicate and trade more effectively with their suppliers, and gives consumers higher levels of service and sophistication, it also poses major challenges to those within organizations who have to manage it. It is argued that closed network problems and the nature of buyer-supplier relations present major impediments to electronic commerce achieving its full strategic potential at the buyer-supplier interface.
Customer Goals Online
Authors: Porter Thomas W.
Published: May 2011

Marketing managers charged with developing effective e-marketing strategies need to understand the implications of goal-directed behavior online. Traditionally, the marketer’s job has involved capturing the customer’s attention and communicating a message about products or services. The customer is essentially a passive receiver of the marketer’s message with little control over the marketing messages they are exposed to. Contrast the traditional approach to marketing with a Web site. Online the customer arrives at the marketer’s Web site with a goal. The customer has something that he or she wants to accomplish, whether it be to acquire information about a product, to make a purchase, or to just be entertained. By understanding the customer’s purpose for a Web site visit, the Web marketer is in a position to develop a Web site that provides significant value. Furthermore, a failure to deliver a Web site that enables customers to accomplish their goals is likely to result in dissatisfaction and defection to other more useful Web sites. Understanding customer online goals is critical because it gets at the heart of what the Web site should or could “do.” The challenge for e-marketers is that for most businesses, there are likely to be multiple goals that represent the “reason why” customers could come to the Web site. For example, an e-tailing site might be very effective for customers who already know the specific product they want to purchase. However, there are likely to be many other goals that could lead people to visit the site, such as selecting the appropriate product form a large product line, selecting an appropriate gift, or perhaps receiving customer service. If important customer goals are not supported by the Web site, the firm is at risk of losing a significant amount of business. Other times businesses compete in markets where there may be little apparent reason for a consumer to visit a Web site. As a result, and because firms feel they should have an online presence, many e-marketing sites are created that offer little more than online reproductions of the marketer’s off-line advertising. The purpose of this article is to help e-marketers better understand the nature of customer goals online so that they may be prepared to create the types of Web site experiences that provide value to their customers.
Critical Success Factors of Web-Based E-Service
Authors: Lee Sang M. , Cata Teuta
Published: May 2011

This study focused on the adoption of Web-based applications in the insurance industry. An in-depth investigation of relevant literature on the technology adoption process and related issues, and the data collected from auto and life insurance companies identified several factors that affect e-insurance performance (in terms of both tangible and intangible benefits). Web site availability, organizational support, customer pressure, degree of business integration, an e-business plan, organization age, and organizational size were identified as critical factors for online performance. This study also revealed that insurance companies perceive more tangible and intangible benefits when they do substantial business through online sales.
Expanding E-Commerce into E-Ducation
Authors: St. Amant Kirk
Published: May 2011

The fall of the Soviet Union created a series of new economic situations in Eastern Europe. Soviet-style Communism quickly gave way to a radical and unbridled form of capitalism that led many outsiders to refer to the region as the “wild East” (Pei, 1994; Brady, 1999; Miller, Grodeland, & Koshechkina, 2001). Over time, business practices began to settle as persons from the former Eastern Bloc focused on Western models of business and finance (Brady, 1999; Mikelonis, 2000; D’Anieri, Kravchuk, & Kuzio, 1999). Such a transition would not be easy, for 75 years of Communist rule left a limited framework upon which individuals could build capitalist-style industries.
Exploring the Factors Influencing End Users' Acceptance of Knowledge Management Systems
Authors: Xu Jun , Quaddus Mohammed
Published: May 2011

This article develops a model of adoption and continued use of knowledge management systems (KMSs), which is primarily built on Rogers’ (1995) innovation stages model along with two very important social psychology theories—Ajzen and Fishbein’s (1980) theory of reasoned action (TRA) and Davis’s (1986) technology acceptance model (TAM). It presents various factors and variables in detail. Hypotheses are developed which can be tested via empirical study. The proposed model has both theoretical and practical implications. It can be adapted for application in various organizations in national and international arena.
Ergonomic User Interface Desgin in Computerized Medical Equipment
Authors: Doyle D. John
Published: May 2011

Current statistics suggest that preventable medical error is a common cause of patient morbidity and mortality, being responsible for between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths annually, and resulting in injuries that cost between $17 billion and $29 billion annually. An important approach to tackling this problem is to apply system design principles from human factors engineering (ergonomics). By doing so, systems and equipment become easier for people to work with, ultimately reducing the frequency of errors. In particular, in the case of medical equipment, the design of the user interface can impact enormously on its successful use. In this chapter we consider some of the elements of good and bad medical equipment design, using examples drawn from the literature and elsewhere. The concept of ecological interface design is also discussed, and some practical design guidelines are provided.
Effectiveness of Computer Training
Authors: Hasan Bassam
Published: May 2011

This study builds on recent findings in information systems (IS) research and training literature to develop and test a model of the impact of multilevel computer self-efficacy (CSE) on effectiveness of computer training. The proposed research model makes a clear distinction between general and application-specific CSE and hypothesizes that the two levels of CSE will have positive effects on perceived ease of use, near-transfer learning, and far-transfer learning, and a negative effect on computer anxiety. The results of a field experiment conducted to empirically test the hypothesized relationships revealed that general CSE had positive effects on far-transfer learning and perceived ease of use, whereas application-specific CSE demonstrated positive effects on near-transfer learning and perceived ease of use. The results also showed that general and application-specific CSE had negative effects on computer anxiety. This study provides better insights into the relationships between the two levels of CSE and computer training outcomes and offers valuable research and practical implications.
Measurement of End-User Computing Satisfaction
Authors: Reynolds Rodney A.
Published: May 2011

Doll and Tofkzadeh (1988) developed their measure of End-User Computing Satisfaction because ‘decision analysis’ (examination of specific uses of computer applications in decision making) is “generally not feasible” (p. 259) but that satisfaction is a reasonable surrogate for assessing use. Doll and Tofkzadeh claim evidence from other studies support an expectation that satisfaction leads to use (as opposed to use leading to satisfaction. The Doll and Tofkzadeh study focused more on broad notions of systems and applications (Mini or mainframes, Micro-computer applications, Analysis, and Monitor applications). The End-User Computing Satisfaction scale is multidimensional instrument. Doll and Tofkzadeh (1988) started with 40 items and reduced those first to 18 items and then reduced the scale further to a final set of 12 items. The dimensions of the End-User Satisfaction scale are Content, Accuracy, Format, Ease of use, and Timeliness.
A Multitrait-Multimethod Analysis of the End User Computing Satisfaction and Computer Self-Efficacy Instruments
Authors: Masterson Michael J. , Rainer R. Kelly
Published: May 2011

Researchers are employing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices to estimate parameters representing trait, method, and error variance, as well as parameters representing the correlations among traits (or factors). This study utilizes CFA with MTMM matrices to assess the convergent validity, discriminant validity, and the presence and effects of method variance in the end-user computing satisfaction instrument (EUCSI) and the computer self-efficacy instrument (CSE). The results of the study indicate that, in these samples, the two instruments demonstrate adequate convergent and discriminant validity, but that method variance is present and accounts for a large proportion of the variance in both models. Further, the proposed factor structure of the EUCSI appears to be unstable as a result of the effects of multiple methods, while the proposed factor structure of the CSE remains stable in the presence of the methods.
Examining the Effects of Computer Self-Efficacy and System Complexity on Technology Acceptance
Authors: Hasan Bassam
Published: May 2011

Despite the prevalence of computing in all aspects of society, some computer systems may not be fully accepted by their intended users or become underutilized. Thus, acceptance and use of information technologies remain a paramount issue in information systems (IS) research and practice. Extending previous research by integrating computer self-efficacy and perceived system complexity as external variables to the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study examines the direct and indirect effects of these two factors on system acceptance and use. The results indicated that computer self-efficacy and system complexity had significant direct effects on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use as well as indirect effects on attitude and behavioral intention. However, the effect of perceived ease of use on attitude was stronger than that of perceived usefulness. In turn, attitude demonstrated a non-significant impact on behavioral intention. These findings highlight several implications for research and practice.
Online Consumers' Switching Behavior
Authors: Li Dahui , Browne Glenn J. , Wetherbe James C.
Published: May 2011

Limited studies have investigated online consumer loyalty and retention from a relationship orientation in electronic commerce research. It is important to understand the differences in relationship orientations between people who have the propensity to stick to particular Web sites (“stayers”) and people who have the propensity to switch to alternative Web sites (“switchers”). This study proposes a relationship-based classification schema consisting of five dimensions: that is, commitment, trust, satisfaction, comparison level of the alternatives, and nonretrievable investment. Data were collected from 299 college students who had experience with e-commerce Web sites. Using discriminating analysis, we found that stayers and switchers were significantly different along the five research dimensions. Satisfaction with the current Web site was the most important discriminant factor, followed by trust, commitment, comparison level of alternative Web sites, and nonretrievable investment in the current Web site. Implications of the findings for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Consumer Complaint Behavior in the Online Environment
Authors: Hong Ji-Young , Lee Wei-Na
Published: May 2011

The emergence of the Internet and its communication capabilities have changed the way consumers communicate their negative experiences with products and services. This chapter offers a comprehensive assessment of the Internet as a viable complaint communication channel and details its related threats and opportunities. An integrated conceptual model of consumer complaint behavior is proposed. It is suggested that an in-depth understanding of the psychological mechanisms that underlie consumer complaint behavior and the characteristics of online communication as well as the characteristics of the business may be essential in taking advantage of the Internet as a complaint communication channel. Managerial implications and recommendations for practical implementation are also suggested.
End User Computing Ergonomics
Authors: Clark C.
Published: May 2011

Until recent years, the end user computing ergonomic focus has primarily been on stationary computer use. A new trend for the end user is mobile computing. An increasing number of end users are working outside of the traditional office. Mobile computing devices allow for these workers to perform job functions while in the field, at home, or while traveling. The organizational and end user benefits abound for the use of such enabling technology. However, the mobile computing environment introduces a new area of ergonomic concerns. Are businesses and end users monitoring the use of these devices from an ergonomic perspective? The good news is the outcome can be influenced and/or determined with intentional efforts on the part of both end users and managers. This paper includes an in depth review of the current and emerging issues, especially the mobile end user environment, that is important to the end user, manager, and organization as a whole. It also provides end user ergonomic suggestions and resources and addresses the management challenges rising from ergonomic issues.
The Changing Demographics
Authors: Knight M. B. , Pearson J. M.
Published: May 2011

As the changing demographics of the workplace influence how organizations operate, the need to reexamine relationships between these demographic variables and their effect on the organization continues. This study provides an empirical examination of the effect of two demographic variables, age and gender, and any moderating impact anxiety, enjoyment, and/or peer pressure may have on computer usage. Based on our analysis of 292 knowledge workers, we identified no significant difference between men and women and/or young and old regarding their computer usage in the workplace. Therefore, the findings from this study do not seem to support earlier research regarding age and gender, which indicated that these variables did impact computer usage. However, the moderating construct (anxiety) did appear to be significant in the employees’ computer usage.
Next Generation Cellular Network Planning
Authors: Louvros S.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, a multi-layer ATM architecture is proposed for the interconnection of current and future mobile communications nodes. Consisting of different ATM node types with respect to switching capability, the proposed architecture is adapted to current 2G and evolving 3G systems as well as future 4G wireless systems, as a common and shared backbone transmission network interconnecting core and access nodes between each other and Internet or PLMN/PSTN. Moreover, facing the huge expansion of transmission interconnection network that will support current and future generation mobile communications, a modification of the standard ATM cell structure is introduced in order to efficiently support user mobility functional procedures. The proposed ATM architecture is integrated over a suitable, with respect to region and capacity, physical interface, consisting of SDH or SONET for wide area topologies, wireless links for outdoor areas and LED-POF combination for indoor areas. Being an interesting alternative over copper or traditional fiber, POF characteristics and performance issues are analyzed.
From Non-Adaptive to Adaptive Educational Hypermedia
Authors: Jacobson M. J.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, it is argued that research involving adaptive educational hypermedia will be advanced by attention to two main areas: (a) the articulation of principled design features for adaptive hypermedia systems and (b) rigorous research documenting the learning efficacy of particular design approaches for different domains and learner groups. As an example of design and research in these two areas, a case study of a program of hypermedia research related to the knowledge mediator framework (KMF) is provided. First, a discussion of non-adaptive KMF hypermedia design elements and learning tasks is provided, followed by a short overview of the research findings from studies involving the use of different KMF systems. Next, current efforts are discussed to create adaptive KMF hypermedia using a learning agent module that employs semantic assessment and learner modeling in order to provide adaptive content and adaptive learner scaffolding. A general consideration of theory, research, and methodological issues related to current work in the field of adaptive educational hypermedia is also provided.
Forging Partnerships to Provide Computer Literacy in Swaziland
Authors: Magagula C. M.
Published: May 2011

The challenges facing the world, especially developing countries like Swaziland, are many and varied. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that over two billion people, out of a global population of six billion, do not have access to education. The majority of these people are found in developing countries. As many as 113 million children do not attend school. More than one billion people still live on less than US$1 a day and lack access to safe drinking water. More than two billion people in the world in developing countries in particular, lack sanitation. Every year, nearly 11 million young children die before their fifth birthday, mainly from preventable illnesses. The risk of dying in childbirth in developing countries is one in 48 (UNDP, 2003). In most developing countries, especially in remote areas, the situation is exacerbated by lack of electricity.
Electronic Democracy at the American Grassroots
Authors: Norris Donald F.
Published: May 2011

In this paper, I examine the delivery of electronic democracy (e-democracy) by U.S. local governments through their e-government activities. In particular, I examine three issues related to local e-democracy through data from focus groups with officials from 37 municipal and county governments across the U.S. The issues are: (1) why local governments decided to adopt e-government, and whether e-democracy was among the reasons for its adoption; (2) whether e-government has produced or affected local e-democracy; and (3) what plans, if any, local governments have with respect to e-democracy in coming years. My principal findings are that e-government at the local level was adopted principally to deliver governmental information and services and to provide citizen access to governmental officials; that e-government does not operate in a manner that either produces or impacts local e-democracy (at least as the term is broadly defined herein); and that e-democracy is not on the radar screens of most American local governments for future deployment.
Cyber Attacks
Authors: Rowe Neil C.
Published: May 2011

Information systems (computers and networks) are increasingly the targets of attacks ranging from vandalism to serious crimes (Richardson, 2003). Since government systems are valuable resources for a society, it is important to protect them from such attacks. Unfortunately, however, government systems can be especially vulnerable (Lucasik, Goodman, & Longhurst, 2003). This is in part because government is distributed over many locations, and therefore, it is hard to protect all of its information systems well. Second, many government systems must be accessible to a wide range of people (even if through a government intermediary), unlike the specialized systems used in other settings, and users will include a few fools and criminals. Third, governments often use popular business software, and the more popular that software is, the more attacks are known against it. Finally, there are many people with antipathy or grudges against governments for one reason or another, and they may seek revenge by attacking a government’s information system and data. With the global Internet, attackers need not be in the same country as the government they attack. Therefore, it is important to become familiar with the kinds of possible attackers, attacks, and countermeasures that governments could encounter on their computer systems and computer networks (Boswoth & Kabay, 2002; Schwartau, 2001).
B2B E-Commerce Infrastructure Success Factors for Small Companies in Developing Economies
Authors: Jennex Murray E. , Adelakun Olayele
Published: May 2011

This chapter looks into the key infrastructure factors affecting the success of small companies in developing economies that are establishing B2B e-commerce ventures by aggregating critical success factors from general e-commerce studies and studies from e-commerce in developing countries. The factors were identified through a literature review and case studies of two organizations. The results of the pilot study and literature review reveal five groups of success factors that contribute to the success of B2B e-commerce. These factors were later assessed for importance using a survey. The outcome of our analysis reveals a reduced list of key critical success factors that SMEs should emphasize as well as a couple of key policy implications for governments in developing countries.
Service Portfolio Measurement
Authors: Vom Brocke Jan
Published: May 2011

Service-oriented architectures offer promising means to flexibly organize business processes. At the same time, new challenges for management arise in order to realize these potentials. Given the technological opportunities, these challenges essentially lie in choosing the right mix of services on the basis of an appropriate infrastructure supporting value adding activities. In order to support this management perspective, a focus on service-oriented business processes is suggested in this article. Hence, a shift from technical aspects of designing service-oriented information systems to economic aspects of using them according to business needs is drawn. For this purpose, findings on the evaluation of financial performance of service-oriented business processes are presented in this paper. The objective is to develop a measurement system for decision support on the con-figuration of a company’s service portfolio reflecting specific economic conditions relevant in a certain situation. Following a design science approach, general principles of a measurement system are worked out and structured in a comprehensive framework. Then, the application of a corresponding system is presented with a practical study. Finally, perspectives on the specification and implementation of the system are sketched.
Configurable Reference Process Models for Public Administration
Authors: Becker Jörg , Algermissen Lars , Delfmann Patrick , Niehaves Björn
Published: May 2011

For the last couple of years public administrations increasingly face a modernization and performance gap which they try to close by reorganizing their processes. Reference models can provide added value in improving those processes and procedures. Their main characteristics, the storage for domain knowledge and their universal validity, create a high potential for reuse and therefore allow for the exploitation of synergies and the reduction of unnecessary tasks and redundancies. In order to reduce the amount of resources for adapting reference models to regional specifics the application of configurable reference models is especially useful and proposed in this article.
E-Government Construction and China's Administrative Litigation Act
Authors: Chuanshen Ruan
Published: May 2011

E-government has become a part of our society gradually as a derivative of the current information society. To adapt to international affairs, the country’s economic development and social progress, China should expedite the transfer from a traditional superintendent government to a modern service government by building an e-government. However, there are many obstacles in the way of popularizing e-government. The “validity” and “reliability” of e-governance are key problems, because China’s administrative legal system hasn’t made specific laws and regulations on e-governance administration. In the current situation, it is of great and practical importance to discuss the new characteristics of e-government administration and understand the influence of information on the administrative legal system.
E-Government at Supranational Level in the European Union
Authors: Amoretti Francesco
Published: May 2011

The term “e-government” became part of the political vocabulary toward the end of the 1990s. Previously, with the onset of new technologies, it found its place in the wider “semantic container,” the information society. To respond to the United States and Japan’s economic challenge, the European Commission drew up a “White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness, and Employment: Challenges and Ways Forward to the 21st Century” (the so-called Delors’ White Paper). The construction of the IS is considered one of the five fundamental priorities of the Union to create a “common information area” based on ICTs and telematic infrastructure. E-government was the key element of significant community programmes (i.e., IDA [Interchange of Data between Administrations] and TEN-TELECOM [from 2002 renamed eTen]). A decisive step toward the development of EU policies for e-government came with the approval, in June 2000, of the Action Plan “eEurope 2002: An Information Society for All.” Guidelines were fixed for greater use of the Internet, and the initiative “Government online: electronic access to public services, [which] aims to ensure that citizens have easy access to essential public data, [...] [and, in order to improve] efficiency in the public sector, will require a re-thinking of internal organisation and of electronic exchanges between institutions” (Council of the European Union & Commission of the European Communities, 2000, p. 22). A few months previously, based on numerous EC documents, the Council of Europe of Lisbon indicated an ambitious objective for the European Union: “to become the most competitive and dynamic economy based on knowledge in the world, capable of achieving sustainable economic growth, creating new and better jobs and more social cohesion.” The so-called “Lisbon strategy” to permit Europe to recover the delay accumulated compared to the U.S., was intended to guide community policies up to 2010. It is in this context, interwoven with different and often conflicting pressures (economic competition and social cohesion, market logics, and the language of rights) that action plans are formulated and policies for e-government implemented in Europe.
ICT Considerations for a Municipality in South Africa
Authors: Averweg Udo , Manyanga Siyabonga
Published: May 2011

The availability of publicly accessible Internet networks and services are the first prerequisite in ensuring that all citizens and nations can benefit from information on the World Wide Web (UNESCO, 2003). Information and communication technologies (ICT) are playing an increasingly important role in the daily lives of citizens, revolutionising work and leisure and changing the rules of doing business. ICT encompass all technologies that facilitate the processing and transfer of information and communication services (United Nations, 2002). In the realm of government, ICT applications are promising to enhance the delivery of public goods and services to citizens not only by improving the process and management of government but also by redefining the traditional concepts of citizenship and democracy (Pascual, 2003). The spread of ICT brings hope that governments can transform (Pacific Council on International Policy, 2002). This article is organised as follows: • Background to the research is given • ICT adoption in the eThekwini Municipality in South Africa is described • The research goals, method, data gathering, and results are discussed • Management implications towards implementing a successful e-government strategy are given • Future trends are then suggested and a conclusion is given
Identification in E-Government
Authors: Leitold Herbert , Posch Reinhard
Published: May 2011

Official procedures usually require that the citizen is unmistakably identified. This may be needed to ensure that the person approaching the authority is the one that has filed an application such as tracking the status of a request, for exercising certain rights such as representing a company or being a party in a proceeding, or for ensuring that the person is eligible to receive certain information such as her penal record. We define identification as the process necessary to validate or recognize identity. In addition to identification, authenticity of a declaration of intent or act is needed in order to establish assurance of the purported identity. In conventional paper-based processes with personal appearance identification is usually carried out using identity cards, deeds, or witnesses. Authentication is provided by handwritten signatures. When in e-government official processes are carried out electronically, both identification and authentication remain important aspects and need to be supported electronically. This may be provided by introducing electronic substitutes of paper-based official documents and handwritten signatures. At first glance, electronic signatures, digital certificates, and public key infrastructure (PKI) are such means. The legal basis for electronic signatures exists, for example, at the E.U. level (Signature Directive, 1999) or by national signature laws such as (Signature Law, 2000). However, some issues need to be considered when introducing identification models for e-government on the regional or national level. These issues include scalability, durability, sustainability, and last but not least data protection and privacy. In this article we discuss these issues on identification in e-government. Therefore, the requirements on identification are sketched in section “Requirements of an Identification Model.” Section “Identification vs. Electronic Signatures” continues by highlighting what shortcomings an identification model solely relying on electronic signatures and PKI faces. Section “Approaches to Electronic Identification” gives an overview of what solutions have been proposed and section “Fragmented Identifiers to Preserve Privacy” deepens one approach by introducing the model that has been followed by Austria (E-Government Act, 2004).
Maintaining Information Security in E-Government through Steganology
Authors: Si Huayin , Li Chang-Tsun
Published: May 2011

Traditional government structures are sometimes regarded as overly bulky. However, with the rapid expansion of interconnected computer networks and the progressive development of information technology (IT), it is now possible to exchange massive amounts of data at light speed over great distances. These infrastructures and technologies provide the opportunity for governments to transform themselves from huge monsters to compact and efficient organizations. Realizing the potential benefits of IT, as of summer 2004, 198 governments had started their e-government plans to construct digital government based on the Internet (West, 2004). One of the essential features of e-government is the transmission of confidential information via computer networks. Depending on the sensitivity of the information, the security of some information should be treated at the same level as national security. Although each e-government has its own networks, no government can say no to the Internet, because it would be a waste of resource. However, the Internet is an open environment; therefore, protecting data flowing on the Internet from attacks is a pressing e-government issue. All governments with such strategies have sought help from cryptographers and devoted huge amounts of both money and time to the development of specially designed information systems and advanced cryptosystems to strengthen information security. Unfortunately, cryptography is not adequate in some applications. As computing power keeps increasing and the techniques of cryptanalysis keep advancing, contemporary cryptosystems cannot and will not work forever. At the 24th Annual International Cryptology Conference (CRYPTO’04), MD5 and a series of related cryptosystems, which are currently in widespread use, were proved unreliable (Wang, Feng, Lai, & Yu, 2004). From the last decade, steganology—the technique for digitally hiding and detecting information – is attracting more attention. It is already regarded as a powerful complement to cryptology and a promising technique for ensuring e-national security. Unlike cryptology, which renders the encrypted information completely meaningless, steganology keeps the host media perceptually unchanged after hiding the secret information. This article will provide an in-depth explanation of the two components of steganology, namely steganography and steganalysis, and discuss their potential applications in the realm of e-national security.
Citizens to Netizens
Authors: Alport Kate , Macintyre Clement
Published: May 2011

This article explores whether information and communication technologies (ICTs) are being used to their full capacity by government agencies in South Australia to engage citizens in interaction with the government. It surveys government and private sector Web sites to determine “best practice” for civic engagement and describes several innovations that offer promising models for e-democracy. In South Australia, it appears that the movement towards innovative e-inclusion is driven from the bottom up—from Local Government Councils, the arts industries, and the education sectors, in the main. The State Government has a well developed e-presence, but much of it is concentrated on the provision of information rather than the fostering of e-democracy. The article examines these trends and questions whether the government is giving the appropriate priority to the citizen-state relationship in an era characterized by rapid economic growth and change.
Reconnecting Australia's Politically Excluded
Authors: Hill Lisa , Alport Kate
Published: May 2011

This article examines the potential for e-technologies to address the problem of political exclusion among some currently excluded groups of voters in Australia today. It canvasses known and suspected patterns of such exclusion and, in some cases, suggests likely reasons for it. We review the capacity for electronic forms of voting and registration to address the following issues: low voting and registration levels among indigenous Australians, declining registration levels among the young, restricted access to the secret ballot caused by disability, informal voting among minority language speakers and people with low literacy and numeracy competence, low voting participation among people who experience difficulty in attending a polling place on election day, and low voting participation among the Australian diaspora. We begin by providing some technical background, after which we report briefly on the electronic voting (e-voting) state of play in Australia today.
Application for Comprehensive E-Government
Authors: Mullner Thomas , Grimm Dominik
Published: May 2011

E-government forms an essential part of the tendency toward administrative modernization as it embraces the optimization of intra-authority processes; the interface between the authority, citizens, and companies; and interauthority processes, thus leading to the realization of an e-driven informed society. The complexity of the theme results from the doing of authorities; their communication partners like citizens, companies, and other authorities; and the social and legal framework. The growing distribution and the increasing maturity of these e-government applications pose new issues calling for scientists and economists to deliver immediate solutions. Within the frame of the new public management strategy, the one-stop-shop principle—a central contact-oriented service aimed toward solving problems—has also been in the focus. The portal architecture serves to realize one-stop government for citizens, who are now able to access most various online services of different authorities from one single point to present their concerns. Apart from this, the interconnection between the internal (file) administration through online services rendered to citizens, companies, and other administrative facilities leads to an increased procedural transparency for citizens and companies and forms the basis for one-stop government.
E-Government Readiness in East and Southern Africa
Authors: Mutula Stephen M. , Wamukoya Justus
Published: May 2011

Governments in East and Southern Africa, like their counterparts in developing and developed world, are under increasing pressure from donor agencies and non-governmental organizations to improve service delivery to citizens and at the same time be able to demonstrate accountability and transparency in the management of public resources (International Records Management Trust, 2004). Most countries in East and Southern Africa, largely began to appreciate the importance of sound public record management practices during the 1980s and 1990s. This period experienced increased donor pressure especially from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) through their structural adjustment programmes (SAPS) that was exerted on the recipients of global donor funding in an attempt to remedy the economic hardships that characterise most developing countries including those in Africa. Structural Adjustment Programmes were meant to provide the best opportunity to implement public sector reforms in order to promote better use of public resources and enhance accountability by governments to their citizens (Wamukoya, 2000). To meet the accountability and transparency demands of the global donor agencies and also the need to meet the increasing demands by citizens for efficient delivery of services, governments worldwide are now taking advantage of the revolution that is taking place in information and communications technologies especially the Internet, the personal computer, the mobile phone, and other modern communication devices. The concept of e-government in its simplest form is now the catchword that is increasingly being used to imply the delivery of government services online. Heeks (2002) defines e-government as the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve the activities of public sector organisations. E-government is claimed as an efficient means to streamline public sector functions and increase citizen participation in the running of public affairs (Wamukoya, 2000). Governments in East and Southern Africa like their counterpart in a developed world, are increasingly turning to e-government to streamline public sector functions and increase citizen participation in the running of public affairs (Wamukoya, 2000). However, in an attempt to implement e-government projects, countries in East and Southern Africa face numerous challenges such as lack of requisite skills and competencies in e-records management; lack of enabling policy and legislative framework; lack of standards and formal methodologies for managing e-record; and inadequate infrastructure.
Electronic Government Implementation
Authors: Chen Yining , Chen H. M. , Ching Russell K.H. , Huang Wayne W.
Published: May 2011

Over the last decade, the Internet has become one of the most important means of communication in all social areas. The success of Web technology adoption in the private sector has put pressures on the public sector to adopt the Internet to present information and service resources. The concept of creating more efficient and convenient interaction between government and the interacting parties using Internet technology is referred to as electronic government (or digital government). Recent studies have shown an increase in the adoption of electronic government by various countries (Archer, 2005; I-Ways, 2005; Janssen et al. 2004). Nevertheless, the level of implementation diverges from country to country. This study identifies critical success factors of electronic government and proposes an implementation framework. This chapter presents an extensive case study to illustrate how the proposed framework can be used to analyze electronic government strategies in a developed country (United States) and a developing country (China). In conclusion, recommendations are made to developed and developing countries for their implementation of electronic government.
Adopting and Implementing Telehealth in Canada
Authors: Jennett Penny A. , Smith Eldon R. , Watanabe Mamoru , Stayberg Sharlene
Published: May 2011

Canada spans 9,976,140 square kilometers and has an approximate population of 32 million people (Statistics Canada, 2001). More than 90% of Canada’s geography is considered rural or remote (Government of Canada, 2001). Despite the highly dispersed population, and, indeed, because of it, Canada is committed to the idea that a networked telehealth system could provide better access and equity of care to Canadians. Growing evidence of the feasibility and affordability of telehealth applications substantiates Canada’s responsibility to promote and to develop telehealth. Telehealth is the use of advanced telecommunication technologies to exchange health information and provide healthcare services across geographic, time, social, and cultural barriers (Reid, 1996). According to a systematic review of telehealth projects in different countries (Jennett et al., 2003a, 2003b), specific telehealth applications have shown significant socioeconomic benefits to patients and families, healthcare providers, and the healthcare system. Implementing telehealth can impact the delivery of health services by increasing access, improving quality of care, and enhancing social support (Bashshur, Reardon, & Shannon, 2001; Jennett et al., 2003a). It also has the potential to impact skills training of the health workforce by increasing educational opportunities (Jennett et al., 2003a; Watanabe, Jennett, & Watson, 1999). Therefore, telehealth has a strong potential to influence improved health outcomes in the population (Jennett et al., 2003a, 2003b). Fourteen health jurisdictions—one federal, 10 provincial, and three territorial—are responsible for the policies and infrastructure associated with healthcare delivery in Canada. This article presents a telehealth case study in one of Canada’s health jurisdictions—the province of Alberta. The rollout of telehealth in Alberta serves as an example of best practice. Significant milestones and lessons learned are presented. Progress toward the integration of the telehealth network into a wider province-wide health information network also is highlighted.