14 Customer-oriented attitude has induced the public sector to open itself to the public and private partnership solutions. One of its manifestations in Singapore is the ability to apply for a passport at the photo-shop, immediately after the passport picture is taken. Another significant factor, which stimulates the growth of both e-administration and e-economy, is the penetration of innovation and search for new applications for technologies in use between the private and public sectors. For instance, the abovementioned RFID technology was initially used to mark goods in transport and storage, as a technique more advanced than the bar code. China, which has implemented the RFID standard as a result of the efforts of Wal-Mart, the world-largest retailer, is currently considering its use in blood banks to track the location of blood batches. Another use of the RFID technology — also in the health care sector — is currently tested at the orthopaedic ward of the Singapore General Hospital. For the duration of hospitalization, the patient receives a band that facilitates tracing the patient’s location, whereas a built-in thermosensor measures the temperature without bothering the patient. Portable devices provide the nurses and physicians with an ongoing access to information on the patients. Moreover, there is a possibility to integrate the system with 15 monitoring of the heart action and blood pressure . A completely different, although slightly controversial, use of RFID has been found at the prosecutor’s office in Mexico, whereby a chip is implanted under skin of employees that have access to secret documents.

Every time they use online services, they score points, which can be later exchanged for preferential rates in banks, airlines and other programme partners. 9 Online services available in various countries worldwide are highly diversified. They are all designed to best satisfy the needs of citizens and enterprises, and at the same time to enhance the operational  5  ”Leadership In Customer Service: New Expectations, New Experiences”, The Government Executive Series, Accenture, 2005. 6  Ibidem. 7  “OECD Government Sudies. Denmark,” January 2006. 8  “Global E-Government Readiness Report 2005. From E-Government to E-Inclusion”, United Nations, 2005. The payments can be effected by logging on to My.eCitizen portal at http://my.ecitizen.gov.sg. 9  “E-government today and tomorrow”, Public Sector Technology & Management, Vol. 3.1, January/February 2006, s. 60. BIS Review 23/2006  3  efficiency of the administration and the public sector. Of the long and constantly supplemented list of online services offered, at least a few solutions are worth mentioning here. For instance, tax offices in Sweden and Estonia provide citizens with their annual tax amounts (calculated on the basis of all the information received during the year), to be confirmed via text message, over the phone (via IVR 10 ) or online. 11 The Finns, on the other hand, having changed their place of residence, do not have to visit the office personally, but simply log on to the website and enter the new data. For confirmation of authenticity, the certificate contained the mobile phone SIM card is used.