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Research Topic - Framework of Empowerment:
Government Promoting the Economy: This aspect may be treated first. The provision of high-quality e-Services has broad impacts: supporting the development of a competitive economy, contributing to job creation, enhancing productivity and market access. Other arguments are that portals support businesses in both directions, the access to global markets and providing a shop window for local goods.
Government Involving Citizens in Participation: The role of citizens in the democratic process has evolved with the introduction of e-Government. Major points are empowering the people through debate and discussion whilst at the same time enhancing the transparency of the system. Government Offering Services to Citizens: Taking “Employment” as an example, it facilitates the process of acquiring work as well as spotting suitable candidates. So it is an issue favouring both, firms and citizens (also belonging to two categories). Other services may be registration, changing address, needing child allowance et. All such services are directed towards generally improving the quality of life for citizens, households and families.
Governments Providing Internet Access: Here as examples some initiatives install free internet access in public buildings: post offices in France, parish churches in Portugal and tobacco shops in Austria. Policies has to go in two directions, counterbalancing deficiencies and starting promotions for special groups. Special promotions concentrate on individual groups of addressees: rural areas, traditionally under-served communities, the young in disadvantaged districts, ethnic minorities, persons with special needs.
Actors and Cooperation Situation: A priority question is: who are the key actors - institutions and individuals - and how to engage them. Commonly many persons, groups and institutions are involved in a concrete empowerment activity, just as to cite politicians, officials, NGOs and citizens as a basic categorisation. First, one has to be aware that actors are embedded in different situations and structures and so may have different policies, visions and attitudes. So a divergence in standpoints may occur even if not apparent at first glance. There is a need for a win-win approach, actors should perceive that the benefits are balanced. For cooperation common goals and a shared comprehension of the task should be established.
Structures and Resources: Turning to further impacts, a chief step is building on existing structures and resources: using infrastructure and premises, coming together with interested groups, assemble active persons, etc. Also collecting information about existing projects or initiatives and joining active networks are promising steps. An admonition concerning resources should be added: all too often the needs of sustainability and affordability of a system is underrated. Careful deliberation is required. Another point to mention is the exchange of experience among the different projects. It is essential to learn from good cases and to be assisted with a mentoring from experienced partners. Here a caveat: a mere copying successful projects may not suffice, the conditions and situations of transferring have to be considered for each individual project.
Funding: Empowerment activities are expensive and financial returns rather limited. Funding such projects is therefore a demanding task to which innovative solutions have to be applied. Public-private partnerships offer many opportunities for funding as well as for the collaborative development of projects. There is always a need to balance the interests of the private partner, who expects a return on his investment, and the public interest. This is no easy tasks s potential benefits, such as access to and quality of services, are by nature rather intangible.
User Needs: Concerning citizens as actors, one issue is clear for them: they need having access to ICT. Making access feasible in an inexpensive way is always a priority point. But there are many particular user needs that have to be carefully gathered. Further it is important for projects to have a continuous guidance by users. This can be achieved by having users’ groups to accompany the development of the project.
Usability: Usability is an important point as many past projects suffer from deficiencies in usability. The list of claims on weakness is long: a general lack in targeting the audience; an inadequate and inconsistent design; lacking of comments and adequate examples; a sloppiness in maintenance; unreliable and outdated pieces of information. To avoid such failures getting user requirements is mandatory.
Technology: There is a clear devise: usage of technologies should be vision-driven instead of simply installing ready-made technical systems. For this problem comprehension has to be combined with a good understanding of the opportunities opened up by technology. It is a trap luring in the wrong direction when problems and solutions are only perceived in the light of available and viable technical systems. Here a balanced view is asked for. A sound engineering approach is indispensable: this means building suitable systems, looking for standards, safeguarding unimpeded communication, protecting privacy, etc.
Trust, Security and Privacy: Taking the point of the users the trust in the system is crucial. Requests in e-Government are rather strict since an identity is needed in all administrative transactions. In addition, delivering electronic services will largely depend upon the trust and confidence of citizens. For this aim means have to be developed covering a sole purpose: achieving the same quality and trustworthiness of public services as provided by the traditional way.
Strategies: There is a compelling need for developing visions and strategies. Imagination beyond short-term is necessary as empowerment has to be far-sighted. Empowerment is a commitment to invest in the future and so requires a strong, dedicated and informed leadership. Obviously, designing and funding empowerment projects is a demanding task, often only innovative solutions may work. Here some aspects for planning: seeking public-private partnerships; bringing in NGOs is an essential help; getting mentoring is beneficial. All in all, developing a proper strategy together with a well-defined and realistic set of goals and criteria is important. It is a pre-requisite for ensuring that the right objectives are reached in response to actual social and economic demands.
Managing Change: Major attention deserve change management and the matter of dealing with implementation. This includes transforming organisational structures a well as developing an awareness on cultural issues. Competent change management may also mean empowerment of staff. Often one has to start a qualification initiative in order to develop the requisite human resources. Issues such as learning and dissemination of know -how are essential factors. There are several forms of impediments that must be overcome: a widespread fear of change, egotistic behaviour such as shielding information, bureaucratic attitudes and so on.
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Themes
