bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Municipal E-Government Services in Emerging Economies
Authors: Bolívar Manuel Pedro Rodríguez , Pérez Maria del Carmen Caba , Hernández Antonio Manuel López
Published: February 2013

This chapter examines and discusses the approach taken by local governments in developing countries to using the Web as a means of providing e-services. In particular, we focus on the capital cities of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to discover whether their public administrations are using the Internet to transform how they interact with citizens through the delivery of online public sector services, thus advancing a benchmarking process. An empirical study was carried out of e-government services in these cities, focusing on the content of e-services by applying the CapGemini (2009) methodology, which has been widely used in prior research. Our findings confirm the existence of a wide variety of e-services among the cities examined, with many of these local administrations remaining unaware of the possibility of using Internet to facilitate the delivery of public sector services. Therefore, there is great scope for improvement in the field of e-government. Reforms in public administration are needed in order to make government more participative and open. Likewise, setting effective policies to ensure e-inclusion is the key to the future of LAC’s new empowered societies, with a more visible voice and more chances to express their concerns.
Public Information Services for People with Disabilities
Authors: García-Crespo Ángel , Paniagua-Martín Fernando , López-Cuadrado José Luis , Carrasco Israel González , Colomo-Palacios Ricardo , Gómez-Berbís Juan Miguel
Published: February 2013

The current chapter introduces an accessible multimedia platform applied to the diffusion of the digital signature. The project presented in this chapter is a multimedia initiative to promote the use of information technology (IT), specifically, the digital signature. Through the modeling of typical daily situations, the platform provides simple responses to any uncertainties or concerns a user may hold about the digital signature, and the advantages which its use entails. The multimedia system has been designed to support subtitling and audio description facilities, with the objective of enabling access to the diffusion of E-government to persons with an auditory or visual disability. The results of the evaluation of the platform by test users of the system are positive, and have initiated the continuation of developments which encourage E-inclusion.
Turkish Case of E-Government Policy-Formulation Process as an Emerging and Innovative Public Policymaking Area
Authors: Balci Asim , Medeni Tunç Durmus , Nohutçu Ahmet
Published: February 2013

The paper would concentrate on the “formation” and “participation” (formulation) dimension and stage of the ICT policy process. Presenting up-to-date information and analyses regarding the developments in recent and current stage of evolution, guidelines and suggestions for future are provided.
Thailand Citizen Centric e-Government Service
Authors: Tubtimhin Jirapon
Published: February 2013

The current ICT master plan has put more attention on the governance factor since there have been lessons learnt during the first master plan implementation: a lack of properly conducted governance caused most project misconducts and less citizen engagement. Therefore e-governance has been underlined both in terms of front and back-end services. Likewise, challenges toward success for the next phase of e-government are to define clearly the governance elements in both vertical and horizontal dimensions. Most importantly, “citizen centricity” is crucial in all those angles to keep the online activities in high record of citizen community attention. Above all, the e-government development efforts must lead the country toward a smarter and more sustainable condition and environment.
Comparing Citizens’ use of E-Government to Alternative Service Channels
Authors: Reddick Christopher G.
Published: February 2013

This chapter examines the role e-government has over citizens’ when they initiate contact with their government. It also compares the influence that other contact channels have on citizens’ contacts with government. A public opinion survey is analyzed to determine what factors explain the different methods of contacting government, namely through the phone, e-government, visiting a government office, or a combination of approaches. This chapter also analyzes citizens’ preferred method of contacting government, examining different types of information or assistance that citizens’ can get from government. The results of this study indicate that e-government is just one of many possible service channels that citizens use, with the phone being the most common. The overall importance of the survey results indicate that e-government is just one contact channel for citizens, and resources should also be devoted towards other contact channels given their importance as well to citizens.
Institutionalisation, Framing, and Diffusion
Authors: Ngwenya Bongani , Lubbe Sam , Klopper Rembrandt
Published: February 2013

In this research, the premise is that sharing data according to the guidelines for publishing open government data ensures greater transparency, delivers more efficient public services, and encourages greater public and commercial use and re-use of government information. This logic, drawn from previous literature and past studies, is extended by examining the interplay between economic benefits of e-Government and social considerations in adoption of e-Government models decisions. Drawing on organizational decision-making research, this research argues that, both early and late adopters respond to framing and interpreting adoption decision situations as opportunities, instead of threats, to enhance transparency and accountability. Following interpretivist research conventions methodology, the sampling plan was purposeful and included a total of 39 interviews. It is found that the social, political, and economic context of developing countries may not readily accommodate current models of openness in e-Government. The conclusion drawn in this research is that motivations for the openness in e-Government to appear legitimate coexist with motivations to realize transparency and accountability. These findings prompt rethinking of the classic institutional, framing, and diffusion model, to suggest openness in e-Government model that developing countries could adopt to suit their social and economic context, as a contribution to the body of knowledge.
CRM 2.0 and E-Government
Authors: González Daniel Pérez , González Pedro Solana
Published: February 2013

In the new technological and social reality characterized by collaborative environments where people share information and experiences as a source of value, the purpose of this chapter is explain how public administrations and governments can make use of CRM integrated with the functionalities of Web 2.0. In this regard, firstly we study how CRM can be integrated with Web 2.0, creating what might be called CRM 2.0, and analyze how governments can use CRM 2.0 to optimize their work processes and improve their services. Then we analyse the social impact relating with the priority objectives for governments, and present the case of different pioneer public administrations in the use of CRM 2.0, analyzing its technological solution and achieved benefits. As a result of this analysis, we have found positive evidence of the beneficial effects for society and for the public administration itself, generated by the use of CRM 2.0 in e-government. Finally, we present the future lines of work and the conclusions.
Improving E-Government Project Management
Authors: Aikins Stephen K.
Published: February 2013

E-government is becoming an enabler for better government through cost-effective and efficient service delivery, and can become a useful tool for effective governance, public administration, and public sector transformation. However, e-government projects are noted for many failures due to several reasons. These include inadequate planning, poor project management, lack of top management support, lack of stakeholder involvement, scope creep, etc. Dwelling on the project management literature as well as reviews of award winning e-government project and portfolio management best practices in a state government and a local utility district, this chapter concludes that e-government initiatives should adopt a more concrete project management methodology, align e-government goals with organizational strategic goals, develop project management competences, as well as understand and apply critical success factors to ensure the successful planning and implementation of e-government projects.
Exploring Civil Servant Resistance to M-Government
Authors: de Kervenoael Ronan , Palmer Mark , Cakici N. Meltem
Published: February 2013

The concept of mobility, related to technology in particular, has evolved dramatically over the last two decades including: (i) hardware ranging from walkmans to Ipods, laptops to netbooks, PDAs to 3G mobile phone; (ii) software supporting multiple audio and video formats driven by ubiquitous mobile wireless access, WiMax, automations such as radio frequency ID tracking and location aware services. Against the background of increasing budget deficit, along with the imperative for efficiency gains, leveraging ICT and mobility promises for work related tasks, in a public administration context, in emerging markets, point to multiple possible paths. M-government transition involve both technological changes and adoption to deliver government services differently (e.g. 24/7, error free, anywhere to the same standards) but also the design of digital strategies including possibly competing m-government models, the re-shaping of cultural practices, the creation of m-policies and legislations, the structuring of m-services architecture, and progress regarding m-governance. While many emerging countries are already offering e-government services and are gearing-up for further m-government activities, little is actually known about the resistance that is encountered, as a reflection of civil servants’ current standing, before any further macro-strategies are deployed. Drawing on the resistance and mobility literature, this chapter investigates how civil servants’ behaviors, in an emerging country technological environment, through their everyday practice, react and resist the influence of m-government transition. The findings points to four main type of resistance namely: i) functional resistance; ii) ideological resistance; iii) market driven resistance and iv) geographical resistance. Policy implication are discussed in the specific context of emerging markets.
Advancing Local E-Government
Authors: Streib Greg
Published: February 2013

E-government developments suggest positive changes are unfolding for local government, but hopes for a technology-driven future have outpaced knowledge of how e-government opportunities can be translated into action. This chapter argues that the existing gap between the e-government rhetoric and reality is due in-part to ineffective leadership and that the CFO is an underutilized resource. Remedies are sought by examining the dynamics of local government implementation and considering ways the CFO role could be reengineered while respecting local government needs and realities. The result is a look at a largely undiscovered e-government landscape offering new opportunities for improved leadership and more desirable e-government outcomes. Recommendations are offered for improving both practice and the academic research knowledge base.
Discriminative Subgraph Mining for Protein Classification
Authors: Jin Ning , Young Calvin , Wang Wei
Published: February 2013

Protein classification can be performed by representing 3-D protein structures by graphs and then classifying the corresponding graphs. One effective way to classify such graphs is to use frequent subgraph patterns as features; however, the effectiveness of using subgraph patterns in graph classification is often hampered by the large search space of subgraph patterns. In this paper, the authors present two efficient discriminative subgraph mining algorithms: COM and GAIA. These algorithms directly search for discriminative subgraph patterns rather than frequent subgraph patterns which can be used to generate classification rules. Experimental results show that COM and GAIA can achieve high classification accuracy and runtime efficiency. Additionally, they find substructures that are very close to the proteins’ actual active sites.
Infer Species Phylogenies Using Self-Organizing Maps
Authors: Han Xiaoxu
Published: February 2013

With rapid advances in genomics, phylogenetics has turned to phylogenomics due to the availability of large amounts of sequence and genome data. However, incongruence between species trees and gene trees remains a challenge in molecular phylogenetics for its biological and algorithmic complexities. A state-of-the-art gene concatenation approach was proposed to resolve this problem by inferring the species phylogeny using a random combination of widely distributed orthologous genes screened from genomes. However, such an approach may not be a robust solution to this problem because it ignores the fact that some genes are more informative than others in species inference. This paper presents a self-organizing map (SOM) based phylogeny inference method to overcome its weakness. The author’s proposed algorithm not only demonstrates its superiority to the original gene concatenation method by using same datasets, but also shows its advantages in generalization. This paper illustrates that data missing may not play a negative role in phylogeny inferring. This study presents a method to cluster multispecies genes, estimate multispecies gene entropy and visualize the species patterns through the self-organizing map mining.
Power Consumption Aware Cluster Resource Management
Authors: Kiertscher Simon , Schnor Bettina , Zinke Jörg
Published: February 2013

In 2007, the Green500 list was introduced, which compares supercomputers by performance-per-watt. Since supercomputers consist of thousands of nodes, energy-saving is a growing demand. Compute clusters are often managed by a so-called Resource Management Systems (RMS), which have load information about the whole system. For clusters with changing compute demands, this can be used to switch on/off nodes according to the current load situation and save energy this way. Here, the authors present energy-saving techniques that work on the management level and measurements that show that speed scaling is not a good means for energy saving. Further, they give an overview of some important standards and specifications related to energy saving, like ACPI and IPMI. Finally, the authors present their energy-saving daemon called CHERUB. Due to its modular design, it can operate with different Resource Management Systems. Their experimental results show that CHERUB’s scheduling algorithm works well, i.e. it will save energy, if possible, and avoids state flapping.
Greening the Survivable Optical Networks
Authors: Mouftah Hussein T. , Kantarci Burak
Published: February 2013

Electricity consumption contributes to a considerably large amount of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions while Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have a significant impact on the electricity usage. Hence, novel network and component architectures leading to energy savings as well as energy-efficient network protocols have emerged since mid-2000s. On the other hand, telecommunication networks are being designed and managed to meet the bandwidth and quality of service requirements of the Internet users. As the bandwidth requests increase tremendously, service availability emerges as a key provisioning metric, since huge data losses may occur even if the service unavailability due to a network failure lasts a short time. Survivable network design and management increases resource-overbuild due to the deployment of spare resources. Obviously, deployment of spare resources increases energy consumption while establishing robust connections. Thus, “green survivability” arises as a new paradigm constrained to the trade-off between energy consumption of the network equipments versus high reliability for the subscribers. This chapter points out the challenges and explains the recent trends in provisioning green survivability for the optical backbone and access networks.
Data-Stream-Driven Computers are Power and Energy Efficient
Authors: Renbi Abdelghani
Published: February 2013

It is believed that data-stream-driven computing is power and energy efficient as compared to its counterpart, instruction-stream-driven computing. This latter requires memory access and memory control overheads while the processor is fetching task instructions from the memory. The programmer describes all the tasks as instructions in the program memory. On the other hand data-stream-driven computer is already configured or hardwired for a specific computing operation, no memory is required apart from data storage. In some contexts we refer to data-stream-driven computers as accelerators or single-purpose processors. This chapter discusses the benefit of data-stream-driven computing for better power and energy efficiency. We took matrix multiplication as an example application to compare the power and energy dissipations between load/store and non-instruction fetch-based architectures. We witnessed that single-purpose processor reduces almost 100% of the dynamic power when replacing the general-purpose processor. With the current mainstream transistor technology, morphware platforms that allow massive parallelism are the potential key for data-stream-driven computer implementations to saving energy in battery-powered embedded systems and to solve the dissipated power dilemma, as the heat becomes the bottleneck of traditional high frequency processors. If the same strategy is applied to mainstream computers and data center servers, we will not only reduce electricity bills but we will also contribute to greener computing by lowering the IT sector’s CO2 emissions.
Frequency Characteristics of Generator Stator Windings
Authors: Su Charles
Published: February 2013

A generator stator winding consists of a number of stator bars and overhang connections. Due to the complicated winding structure and the steel core, the attenuation and distortion of a pulse transmitted through the winding are complicated, and frequency-dependent. In this chapter, pulse propagation through stator windings is explained through the analysis of different winding models, and using experimental data from several generators. A low voltage impulse method and digital analysis techniques to determine the frequency characteristics of the winding are described. The frequency characteristics of generator stator windings are discussed in some detail. The concepts of the travelling wave mode and capacitive coupling mode propagations along stator winding, useful in insulation design, transient voltage analysis, and partial discharge location are also discussed. The analysis presented in this chapter could be applied to other rotating machines such as high voltage motors.
Ferroresonance in Power and Instrument Transformers
Authors: Rezaei-Zare Afshin , Iravani Reza
Published: February 2013

This chapter describes the fundamental concepts of ferroresonance phenomenon and analyzes its symptoms and the consequences in transformers and power systems. Due to its nonlinear nature, the ferroresonance phenomenon can result in multiple oscillating modes which can be characterized based on the concepts of the nonlinear dynamic systems, e.g., Poincare map. Among numerous system configurations which can experience the phenomena, a few typical systems scenarios, which cover the majority of the observed ferroresonance incidents in power systems, are introduced. This chapter also classifies the ferroresonance study methods into the analytical and the time-domain simulation approaches. A set of analytical approaches are presented, and the corresponding fundamentals, assumptions, and limitations are discussed. Furthermore, key parameters for accurate digital time-domain simulation of the ferroresonance phenomenon are introduced, and the impact of transformer models and the iron core representations on the ferroresonance behavior of transformers is investigated. The chapter also presents some of the ferroresonance mitigation approaches in power and instrument transformers.
Optimal Placement of Viscoelastic Dampers Represented by the Classical and Fractional Rheological Models
Authors: Lewandowski Roman , Pawlak Zdzislaw
Published: February 2013

The problems of the optimal location of viscoelastic (VE) dampers and determination of the optimal values of parameters of dampers are considered in this chapter. The optimal distributions of dampers in buildings are found for various objective functions. The optimization problem is solved using the sequential optimization method and the particle swarm optimization method. The properties of VE dampers are described using the rheological models with fractional derivatives. These models have an ability to correctly describe the behaviour of VE dampers using a small number of model parameters. Moreover, generalized classical rheological models of VE dampers are also taken into account. A mathematical formulation of the problem of dynamics of structures with VE dampers, modelled by the classical and fractional rheological models is presented. The results obtained from numerical calculation are also discussed in detail.
Damper Optimization for Long-Span Suspension Bridges
Authors: Wang Hao , Li Aiqun , Zong Zhouhong , Tong Teng , Zhou Rui
Published: February 2013

Long-span suspension bridges are becoming prevalent globally with the rapid progress in design methodologies and construction technologies. Although with apparent progress, the balance between excessive displacement and inner forces, under dynamic loads, is still a main concern because of increased flexibility and low structural damping. Therefore, effective controllers should be employed to control the seismic responses to ensure their normal operation. In this chapter, the combination of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and first-order optimization method are formulated to optimize seismic response control effect of the Runyang suspension bridge (RSB) under earthquakes, considering traveling wave effect. The compositive optimal parameters of dampers are achieved on the basis of 3-dimensional nonlinear seismic response analyses for the RSB and parameters sensitivity analyses. Results show that the dampers with rational parameters can reduce the seismic responses of the bridge significantly, and the application of the AHP and first-order optimization method can lead to accurate optimization effects.
Optimal Design and Practical Considerations of Tuned Mass Dampers for Structural Control
Authors: Lin Chi-Chang , Wang Jer-Fu
Published: February 2013

The design concept and procedure for tuned mass dampers (TMDs) have been extensively investigated through numerical simulation analyses and experimental tests. Sophisticated three-dimensional building models were developed to examine the optimum installation location in elevation and in plane, number and movement direction of the TMDs with the consideration of translation-torsion coupling and soil-structure interaction effects. Analytical and empirical formulas were also derived to determine the optimal parameters of TMD. It is well recognized that the performance of a TMD is sensitive to the slight deviation of frequency ratio between the TMD and the structure. Multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMDs) were proposed to reduce this detuning effect. It is also recognized that TMD’s performance relies on its large stroke which may not be allowed due to the limitation of space and vibration components. The authors presented a two-stage optimum design procedure for MTMDs with limitation of their strokes. New invention patents both in Taiwan and in USA have been granted for the MTMD device.
Tuned Liquid Column Gas Damper in Structural Control
Authors: Hochrainer Markus , Ziegler Franz
Published: February 2013

Tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) show excellent energy and vibration absorbing capabilities appropriate for applications in wind- and earthquake engineering. The objective of this chapter is to demonstrate the outstanding features of the proposed Tuned Liquid Column Gas Damper (TLCGD) and present its wide spectrum of applications of three design alternatives. Among others it includes base isolation of structures, applications to lightly damped asymmetric buildings and other vibration prone structures like bridges (even under traffic loads) and large arch-dams as well as simple, ready to use design guidelines for optimal absorber placement and tuning. The evident features of TLCGDs are no moving mechanical parts, cheap and easy implementation into civil engineering structures, simple modification of the natural frequency and even of the damping properties, low maintenance costs, little additional weight in those cases where a water reservoir is required, e.g., for the sake of fire fighting, and a performance comparable to that of TMDs of the spring-mass- (or pendulum-)-dashpot type.
Multi-Objective Optimization Design of Control Devices to Suppress Tall Buildings Vibrations against Earthquake Excitations Using Fuzzy Logic and Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Pourzeynali Saeid , Salimi Shide
Published: February 2013

The main objective of this chapter is to find the optimal values of the parameters of the base isolation systems and that of the semi-active viscous dampers using genetic algorithms (GAs) and fuzzy logic in order to simultaneously minimize the buildings’ selected responses such as displacement of the top story, base shear, and so on. In this study, performance of base isolation systems, and semi-active viscous dampers are studied separately as different vibration control strategies. In order to simultaneously minimize the objective functions, a fast and elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) approach is used to find a set of Pareto-optimal solution. To study the performance of semi-active viscous dampers, the torsional effects exist in the building due to irregularities, and unsymmetrical placement of the dampers is taken into account through 3D modeling of the building.
Grounded Theory in Practice
Authors: Martins Jorge Tiago , Nunes Miguel Baptista , Alajamy Maram , Zhou Lihong
Published: February 2013

A growing number of Information Systems (IS) research is drawing upon Grounded Theory (GT), as an inductive research methodology particularly suited to the development of theory that is grounded in rich socio-technical contexts that are understood through the analysis of data collected directly from those specific environments. Studies in IS are eminently applied research projects; therefore, GT seems the ideal approach to enable rich understandings and inductive explanatory theories on the socio-technical human activity systems studied by the discipline. Nevertheless, GT is still an underutilised methodology in IS and several scholars critique the scarcity of theories developed specifically to account for IS phenomena. This chapter makes a contribution to IS research through providing a discussion of GT’s application in the field by presenting an outline of the method’s modus operandi and a case-based overview of its use in three different IS research projects in the fields of patient knowledge sharing in healthcare environments, IS strategic planning in academic libraries, and E-Learning adoption. As the potential of GT for IS research remains to be maximized, the objective of this chapter is to counter the lack of explicit and well-informed views of GT use in this discipline, whilst sharing lessons learned from the use of the method in context-dependent interpretive studies.
Creating Interpretive Space for Engaged Scholarship
Authors: Costello Gabriel J. , Donnellan Brian
Published: February 2013

The purpose of this chapter is to argue that the approach of engaged scholarship provides interpretive space for practitioners who are introducing change in their organization. In this case, the change involved implementation of process innovations, which continue to be an important challenge for business and public sector bodies. The research domain was a subsidiary of APC by Schneider Electric located in Ireland and involved a two-year study where the principal researcher had the status of a temporary employee. A new form of Action Research (AR) called dialogical AR was tested in this study. Key finding from an analysis of the interviews showed that the approach was both helpful and stimulating for the practitioner.
Exploring Higher Education Students’ Technological Identities using Critical Discourse Analysis
Authors: Brown Cheryl , Hart Mike
Published: February 2013

This chapter applies a critical theory lens to understanding how South African university students construct meaning about the role of ICTs in their lives. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) has been used as a theoretical and analytical device drawing on theorists Fairclough and Gee to examine the key concepts of meaning, identity, context, and power. The specific concepts that inform this study are Fairclough’s three-level framework that enables the situating of texts within the socio-historical conditions and context that govern their process, and Gee’s notion of D(d)iscourses and conceptualization of grand societal “Big C” Conversations. This approach provides insights into students’ educational and social identities and the position of globalisation and the information society in both facilitating and constraining students’ participation and future opportunities. The research confirms that the majority of students regard ICTs as necessary, important, and valuable to life. However, it reveals that some students perceive themselves as not being able to participate in the opportunities technology could offer them. In contrast to government rhetoric, ICTs are not the answer but should be viewed as part of the problem. Drawing on Foucault’s understanding of power as a choice under constraint, this methodological approach also enables examination of how students are empowered or disempowered through their Discourses about ICTs.
Mapping Participatory Design Methods to the Cognitive Process of Creativity to Facilitate Requirements Engineering
Authors: Sulmon Nicky , Derboven Jan , Perez Maribel Montero , Zaman Bieke
Published: February 2013

This chapter describes the User-Driven Creativity Framework: a framework that links several Participatory Design (PD) activities into one combined method. This framework, designed to be accordant with the mental process model of creativity, aims to integrate user involvement and creativity in the early stages of application requirements, gathering, and concept development. This chapter aims to contribute to recent discussions on how user-centered or participatory design methods can contribute to information systems development methodologies. The authors describe a mobile language learning case study that demonstrates how an application of the framework resulted in system (paper) prototypes and unveiled perceptions of learners and teachers, effectively yielding the necessary in-depth user knowledge and involvement to establish a strong foundation for further agile development activities. This chapter provides engineers or end-user representatives with a hands-on guide to elicit user requirements and envision possible future application information architectures.
Cellular or Functional Layout?
Authors: Jerbi Abdessalem , Chtourou Hédi
Published: February 2013

The cellular layout has been compared to the traditional functional layout using multiple comparison methodologies that either lack objectivity or are highly time-consuming. The main purpose of this chapter is to propose a novel and objective methodology. Hence, a critical analysis of ten comparison studies is followed by the presentation of the layouts simulation models. Subsequently, the proposed comparison methodology is described. Following this methodology, simulations are conducted according to a plan of experiments developed from Taguchi standard orthogonal arrays. Consequently, results, expressed in Signal to Noise ratios, are analyzed using ANOVA. Next, a mathematical model is derived by interpolation between the factors and interactions effects. This model must be validated by the confirmation test, otherwise the comparison methodology should be reiterated while considering new interactions. This cycle should be reiterated as much as necessary to obtain a valid mathematical model. The proposed comparison methodology has been applied with success on an academic manufacturing system.
The ARRA Websites through the Lens of Digital Accountability and Citizen Engagement
Authors: Joaquin M. Ernita , Greitens Thomas J.
Published: February 2013

Modern information technology offers new ways of fulfilling democracy’s goals. Various public services are now more efficiently facilitated through the Internet. Online information, particularly in regard to budgetary matters makes governments visible and open. Efforts remain inadequate, however, in harnessing electronic means to foster greater links between governments and citizens. In this chapter we argue that performance-based government accountability should accompany efforts to increase citizen engagement. We explore this area using a recent, intergovernmental arena of e-governance: the state websites for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). We find that states are better at including engagement data than at demonstrating performance-based accountability. At the end of the chapter we suggest enhancing e-governance relationships through a dialogue on performance and sustaining digital democracy, including its intergovernmental aspects.
Exploring Determinants of Governmental Transparency
Authors: Borry Erin L.
Published: February 2013

“Transparency” has recently become a popular buzzword in the United States while its normative value has been revered for decades. However, scholarly research of antecedents and effects of transparency—the ability to “see inside” government—has arisen only recently. Transparency can provide residents with information that can promote more fruitful citizen participation and engagement. This chapter looks into one of the lesser studied of the five avenues of transparency, as presented by Piotrowski (2007): proactive dissemination. It reports on the proactive dissemination behaviors of New Jersey’s 566 municipalities resulting from a content analysis of their websites. Model results are reported to provide understanding of various factors that are found to impact a municipality’s posting behavior. Lastly, the author encourages future research to consider other ways to measure proactive dissemination, to include more governmental determinants for transparent behavior, and to explore whether or not transparency translates into greater citizen participation.
E-Procurement
Authors: Bromberg Daniel , Saldivar Karina , Fudge Marc
Published: February 2013

Over the past three decades, government has been making a steady push towards utilizing more entrepreneurial means of governance. This chapter explores one of those techniques and its proliferation in governments throughout the world – electronic procurement. Furthermore, it provides a deeper understanding of some of the most advanced governments that utilize electronic procurement. The findings suggest that there is broad implementation of electronic procurement throughout the world; however, it also shows that there is uneven implementation as far as details of adoption. It also discusses that cost is a primary reason for the adoption of e-procurement.
E-Disclosure of Campaign Finance Information
Authors: McNea Ramona
Published: February 2013

In the United States, disclosure has long been a primary tool for fighting the corruptive influence of money in politics. Recent scandals have helped place disclosure back on the agenda of many the 50 states. Because of the move to electronic governance, many new laws regulating disclosure have taken the form of e-disclosure. Agenda setting theory suggests that interest groups, political context, policy entrepreneurs, focusing events, and state resources influence the ability of issues to reach the institutional agenda (Baumgartner & Jones, 1993; Kingdon 1995). This study uses panel corrected cross-sectional time series analysis to explore which of these factors are motivating increased interest in e-disclosure laws at the state level from 2005-2009. The number of electronic filing laws proposed in state legislatures is the dependent variable (National Council of State Legislatures).
Courts On Screen
Authors: Filho Roberto Fragale
Published: February 2013

Opacity may be the key word to describe how judicial work is done. Yet there has been a plea for change, as transparency has been demanded as a rule for governmental issues, judicial work included. The challenge lies in getting there, and e-government may be today a popular trend that will get us there. Indeed, media convergence, the use of social media, and live broadcasting on the web repaginate an old debate on the presence of cameras in the courtrooms and places it on the e-government level. Rephrased as courts on screen, the debate challenges the secrecy of judicial deliberations and makes a call for sunshine in the courtroom. The Brazilian experience of TV Justiça and its recent arrival on YouTube and on Twitter has pushed further the debate over the impact of courts’ sessions live broadcasting and is here examined as a case study for the increase of judicial transparency.
Small Communities and the Limits of E-Government Engagement
Authors: Hoornbeek John , Sowards Kent , Kelley Brian
Published: February 2013

Existing research suggests that progress toward a “virtual state” is inconsistent – at least at the local level of government. Coursey and Norris (2008) argue that few governments have moved beyond an informational presence on the internet and Cassell and Hoornbeek (2010) suggest that populist engagements (Kakabadse et al., 2003) between citizens and local governments remain the exception rather than the rule. This chapter examines two questions regarding e-government engagement among small communities in northeast Ohio. First, it assesses the extent to which small communities in northeast Ohio use websites to engage their citizens. And second, it analyzes factors that lead these governments to create websites and develop them to enable citizen engagement. We find that limited capacities and uncertain demand both limit small community website operations. We also suggest that these findings can help us understand constraints to E-government transformations and perhaps also the inconsistent nature of e-government citizen engagements.
Internet and Citizen Participation
Authors: Colombo Clelia
Published: February 2013

In general terms, analyses show that participatory experiences have increased hugely in the last years and most of them use the Internet for participatory purposes. Analyses show also that political party of the mayor or electoral abstention rate would be explanatory for the promotion of e-Participatory experiences, as well as the participative context of the municipality or the population size.
A Longitudinal Study of Political Technology Use by Nonprofit Child Advocacy Organizations
Authors: McNutt John G. , Barlow Janice
Published: February 2013

This chapter addresses advocacy technology use by a group of nonprofit advocacy organizations over three periods of time. The research questions for this study are: (1) what types of high technology are state level child advocacy organizations using in their policy work and how has this differed over time? (2) What technologies have been adopted and then discarded? (3) What organizational characteristics predict higher levels of adoption and institutionalization? (4) What technology characteristics predict higher levels of adoption and institutionalization? Research was conducted with three waves of questionnaires (2000, 2004, 2008). Findings included that older technology remains active in most cases while new technology begins to emerge, some change in barriers were reported, and there were slight changes in perceived effectiveness and use by other groups.
How Young People Are Using Communication Technologies as Platforms and Pathways to Engagement
Authors: Latimer Christopher Peter , Kendrick J. Richard
Published: February 2013

This chapter is an assessment of what we know empirically about how communication technologies are being used by young people (typically defined as those between the ages of 18 and 29) as both platforms and pathways for civic and political engagement. An overview of the current research concerning the relationship between communication technologies and civic and political engagement is used as the basis for this investigation. Previous research fails to acknowledge the difference between individuals who are engaged only by using communication technologies (technology as a platform for participation) versus those who are engaged beyond the exclusive use of communication technologies (technology as a pathway for participation). This distinction will better enable government officials, agencies, and practitioners to develop comprehensive strategies for engaging young people based on what we know about how technology is being utilized. The analysis reveals that technology can serve as both a platform and pathway for political engagement. Whether the same is true for civic engagement is unclear. The authors also provide recommendations to policy and decision makers based on the results of their analysis of the extant literature.
Performance Measurement and E-Reporting
Authors: Kloby Kathryn
Published: February 2013

Public sector performance measurement systems are often designed by high-level administrators and agency staff. In many instances performance reports are treated as internal documents or provide limited information of how government actions impact the lives of citizens or fall short of expectations. Performance measurement and reporting approaches, however, are gradually changing to include citizens in the process and to communicate results in a more robust way to the public. This chapter explores the topic of e-reporting and the potential it offers to engage the public in the assessment of government performance. Three exemplary programs are examined: Virginia Performs, Maryland’s BayStat, and King County AIMs High. Each offers useful techniques for describing program objectives, showing government progress, making data available, and exploring interactive mechanisms that support data manipulation or customization. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future areas of research.
A Mobile Phone-Based Expert System for Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Oyelami Olufemi Moses
Published: February 2013

Medicine is one of the areas that has benefited from the use of artificial intelligence since the advent of machine intelligence. Different expert systems for diagnosing diseases have been developed; however, they are either standalone or Web-based systems. This puts a vast majority of Africans in general and Nigerians in particular at a disadvantage, because of computer literacy, accessibility, and usage are very low in this region of the world. Recent advances in the capabilities of mobile phones and increased usage, however, have opened up new opportunities for innovative and complex applications that can be accessed via mobile phones. This chapter presents a disease diagnosis system that can be accessed via mobile phones to cater to the needs of the vast majority of users in places where healthcare is inadequate.
Prioritization of Patient Vital Signs Transmission Using Wireless Body Area Networks
Authors: Chen Baozhi , Pompili Dario
Published: February 2013

Triage is the process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition when resources are insufficient. Hospitals today are equipped with more and more electronic medical devices. This results in possibly high level of electromagnetic interference that may lead to the failure of medical monitoring devices. Moreover, a patient is usually moved between different hospital settings during triage. Accurate and quick prioritization of patient vital signs in such environments is crucial for making efficient and real-time decisions. In this chapter, a novel in-network solution to prioritize the transmission of patient vital signs using wireless body area networks is proposed; the solution relies on a distributed priority scheduling strategy based on the current patient condition and on the vital sign end-to-end delay/reliability requirement. The proposed solution was implemented in TinyOS, and its performance was tested in a real scenario.
Adapting Medical Content to the Terminal Capabilities of Wireless Devices
Authors: Panagiotakis Spyros , Agoutoglou Robert , Vassilakis Kostas
Published: February 2013

In the forthcoming wireless world of E-healthcare systems, the medical staff should be able to seamlessly access medical services from a variety of terminals while on the go with the same “look and feel” and with highly diverse capabilities (e.g., mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs, laptops, PCs). In that context, the knowledge of terminal capabilities is essential for service provision so users are only offered customized services and content supported by the device they currently use for network access. The challenge is how the mediating application server detects the effective level of capabilities of the requesting devices, so each client receives the requested content in a form that its terminal device can properly present. This contribution focuses on the issue of dynamic adaptation of medical services and content to the terminal capabilities of the requesting device, so with a generic service design all possible client devices can be served.
Situation-Aware Ambient Assisted Living and Ambient Intelligence Data Integration for Efficient Eldercare
Authors: Kurschl Werner , Buchmayr Mario , Franz Barbara , Mayr Margit
Published: February 2013

Pervasive healthcare systems are designed to support elderly and care-dependent people to live an independent life. Recent developments are driven by technological advances of wireless sensor networks and mobile devices, which ease their application in the health- and homecare domain. The integration into pervasive healthcare systems helps to improve the impact and the efficiency of eldercare, while keeping financial efforts at a moderate level. The importance of these issues leads to the development of systems covering situation-aware, ambient assisted living and health data exchange between care institutions and ambient assistant solutions. Various projects within the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) domain have proven that remarkable results can be achieved by using wireless sensor technology and mobile devices for data collection, but there are still several problems concerning the exchange and integration of healthcare data. This chapter gives an overview about AAL, healthcare related standards, and state of the art approaches for data integration. In addition, best practice projects, which deal with patient-oriented care information, ambient assisted living, as well as ambient intelligence, are covered.