04 sponsor + concl - Joinup · Developed by LAit (), Relab is designed to provide Lazio audiovisual companies with an access point to infrastructures and grid computing services –

Sponsors

The new e-Government perspective of Lazio Region:"iLazio2010 - From e-Government to Knowledge Society"

Lazio Region

Lazio Region is committed to developing a targeted strategic plan for the Information Society,that represents a useful reference tool for elaborating adequate support policies, taking intoaccount the recommendations of the European Institutions and the goals to reach by 2010.

The challenge Lazio Region wants to meet is developing ICT solutions and organizationalmodels that support a Participative Society, in which public, private organizations’ andcitizens’ interests are harmonized with those of the social and economic systems and thecommunity.

iLazio201 aims at:

• Simplifying the relation between citizens and the regional Public Administration.• Supporting, through ICT, the socio-economic development in order to create

value on the Regional territory.• Strengthening communication infrastructures.• Reorganize the regional Public Administration system.

iLazio2010 is based on the following principles:

• Economical, social e cultural harmonization through the use of new technologies.• Participation of all citizens in the social, cultural, production and decision-making process. • E-government services provided by ICT. • Transparency and Effectiveness of the Public Administration. • Support to the sustainable economic development. • Inclusion of all citizens in the community process. • Knowledge Sharing.

The objectives of iLazio2010 include the following:

1. Bridging the digital divide

a. The territorial divide: Lazio Region wants to cover the entire regional territory withbroad band connexion through optic fibre for the accessible territories and through

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wi-fi, wi-max and satellite connection for those territories that are difficult to access.Fast connection will be guaranteed not only to Local Bodies, but also to citizens,universities, Research Centres, Science and Technology Parks, Local Health Units andHospitals as well as to all PA decentralized premises.

b. The dimensional divide (among Public Bodies and small and large stakeholders):Lazio Region will contribute to the development of social and economic environments,through the Digital Business Ecosystem approach, where also small stakeholders willhave the opportunity to participate in the economic development processes.

c. The cultural divide: basic training on ICT use will be provided by Lazio Region bothto Lazio citizens and to Public Administration employees, through a “training on thejob” approach, no more theoretical. Multi-channel systems will be used to involvethose citizens who, for various reasons, cannot attend training sessions.

d. The digital divide: bridging the digital divide means giving free access and free

circulation of ICT resources. This means promoting the adoption of free and open

source solutions able to overcome knowledge barriers.

2. Knowledge Diffusion

A real knowledge Society is achievable only if all active territorial actors (citizens,SME, Local Bodies, stakeholders, etc) have not only a basic knowledge of ICT, butthey should be able to know how autonomously develop their knowledge throughnew technologies, and together can participate in the creation of new knowledge.Lazio Region, aware of the human and social capital present in the Region, will carryout new actions aimed at developing it.

3. Active participation of all citizens in the local decision-making process

Lazio Region is committed to involving all citizens, entrepreneurs and localstakeholders in the PA legislative processes. In order to achieve this objective, LazioRegion will implement democratic participation services, through which these actorscan take part in the definition of those policies that involve them directly.

4. Innovative Service Provision

The provision of innovative services will improve the effectiveness and efficiency ofthe Public Administration, bridging the social and economic gap in the rural areas.

5. Procedures Simplification

Lazio Region has already started a general reorganization of the service provision systemfor citizens and companies. It is also studying new procedures that ensure equal opportunities,higher transparency, effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Administration. Thisprocess will take into account advanced researches developed on an international level.

The main goal of Lazio Region is networking all citizens and developing a networked

society based on the communication interconnection, where everyone is networked andhas equal opportunities to access and produce services as well as to choose his/her


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favourite connection channel and to participate in the administrative and production life. This scenario will lead to a new meaning of social relations and production mechanismsas well as facilitate the breaking down of those hierarchies based on information andknowledge storage and non-sharing.

Three main action lines have been underlined in iLazio2010:

1. e-Inclusion

• Broadband access to the Internet. • Digital literacy. • Access point networks. • Accessibility. • Multi-channel delivery. • Security. • Digital ecosystems. • e-Democracy.

2. e-Services

• e-Government. • e-Health. • e-Learning. • e-Business and eCommerce. • e-Procurement. • Document digitization / historical archives.

3. e-Simplification

• Process re-engineering in Public Administration. • Reorganization of administrative procedures in the digital environment. • Interoperability.

iLazio2010 elaboration Governance

The various resources characterizing Information and Knowledge Society requires thedevelopment of governance processes and a more effective coordination among varioussector policies.

Issues and initiatives included in the Strategic Plan need to be discussed among thetechnical and institutional bodies of the Region.

Lazio Region is developing a structured and inclusive dialogue with the various actors(internal and external to the Region) to be involved in the Strategic Plan, in order forthem to take advantage of the initiatives implemented.

For the development of iLazio2010, Lazio Region is already started to organizeparticipative processes with the aim of sharing the document with public and privateorganizations interested in being involved.

The governance of iLazio2010 elaboration is divided in:• an internal process (within the Region) which will include and harmonize those needs


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and actions coming from the various Regional Departments; • an external process (outside the Region) through which Lazio Region will involve all

institutional, economic and social actors of the territory. The external governanceprocess also foresees meetings with European Institutions, national government andother Italian Regions with the purpose of comparing solutions and “best practices”.

Some relevant Lazio Region Projects and initiatives

in the scope of iLAZIO2010

“SemplificAZIONE”: modernizing the Public Administration

Last December 12th 2006 the Regional Ministry for Consumer Protection andAdministrative Simplification presented the initiative “SemplificAZIONE 2006”.

Lazio RegionExecutive Council invested 1,500,000 euros to aid local authorities in thedevelopment of e-government solutions to simplify administrative procedures and makelife simpler for citizens and businesses.

Mario Michelangeli, Regional Minister for Consumer Protection and AdministrativeSimplification, together with the representatives of the five provinces involved in“SemplificAZIONE 2006” signed the agreements kicking off the co-financed projects.

“Semplificazione 2006” is unique for its rapid implementation: 12 to 18 months from thesigning of the Agreements to the end of the project. Local government response wassignificant, in fact Lazio Region received 12 projects, 11 of them passed the first stage and7 were co-financed. All the five provinces were involved. Results emerged during thepreliminary assessment highlighted the need for redesigning internal organizationprocess and technical equipment. Outcomes will form a catalogue on regional e-Government demand that will be the reference point for further initiatives and re-useprojects.

This initiative represents the beginning of a process aimed at developing a citizen-friendly Public Administration, through initiatives aimed at reducing bureaucracy timesand costs faced by citizens and companies. The initiative established a new dialoguebetween the Regional and local governments.

These are the projects co-financed by SemplificAZIONE 2006:• WANlib: Province of Frosinone. • Casa Informa: Province of Frosinone. • LE.O: Province of Frosinone. • U.P.R. (Ufficio Provincia Reingegnerizzati): Province of Latina. • Pro.DE: Province of Rieti. • Semplifichiamoci: Province of Rome.


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• Pro.Digi: Viterbo.POS: Health online

The new Lazio Region Health Portal (POS, url: www.poslazio.it) is online since December30th, 2006.

The portal lays the foundation for a change in health communications. Its main goal is tobuild a network for information exchange among the health sector, includingprofessionals, organizations of citizens, volunteers and for citizen protection.

A multi-channel personal assistant, close coordination amongst health institutionalwebsites, and tailored services to suit citizens, health professional and companies needs:these are the strategic tools that brought about profound changes in the way informationand health services are provided by the regional government.

POS was developed to create a user-friendly system which may help citizens and healthprofessionals understand the composite health sector. Starting from the assumption thathealth institutions are a valuable source of information to put online, the project includesthe implementation of a Lazio Regionhealth care portal.

The development of a health portal is the coherent response to the development of amodern region that wants to carry out an information policy ensuring transparency andcitizens participation in the public decision-making process.

RELAB

The project was developed by Lazio Regionfor the audiovisual industry. Thanks to the useof grid computing technologies, RELAB provides Lazio audiovisual companies with


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powerful solutions aimed at reducing and maximizing video rendering time. Developed by LAit (www.laitspa.it), Relab is designed to provide Lazio audiovisualcompanies with an access point to infrastructures and grid computing services – toimprove and reduce video rendering times. The project received 1.300.000 euros ininvestments co-financed by CNIPA (National Centre for Informatics in PublicAdministration), CIPE (Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning) and theRegional Ministry for Administrative Simplification of Regione Lazio.

The use of grid computing allows to reduce rendering times by taking advantage ofmany networked computers to model a virtual computer architecture that is able todistribute process execution across a parallel infrastructure. RELAB will enable Lazioproduction and post-production companies to exploit the computing power provided bythis tool which would be otherwise inaccessible for their budgets and to compete atinternational level.

T-Informo

T-informo is the experimental t-government service developed by the Municipality ofRome and Lazio Region in co-operation with RAI, Telespazio, University of Rome “LaSapienza” and LAit S.p.A., Lazio region government-owned corporation.

Co-financed by CNIPA (Italian National Centre for ICT in the Public Administration), T-informo provides contents and services accessible through TV to all citizens who have adigital terrestrial decoder at home. The project aims at bridging the “digital divide”,involving those citizens who are not very confident in using Information Technologiesand, for this reason, cannot participate actively in the Public Administration renewalprocess.

The T-Informo project wants to make the digital terrestrial television the perfect tool forstrengthening the relationship between citizens and the Public Administration, beingcharacterized by transparent and user-friendly systems.

On November 8th, 2006, during the Com-Pa, the annual Exhibition of Public Communication,the T-informo project was awarded the prize “La Pubblica Amministrazione che si vede –La Tv che parla con te” (the PA you can see – the TV that talks to you”. The competition,announced by Formez (Training and Study Centre depending from the PublicAdministration Department of the Prime Minister’s Office) was presented by LuigiNicolais, Minister for Reform and Innovation in the Public Administration.

The prize was awarded with the commentary: “ The examined product represents a bestpractice to reuse for what concerns the comprehension and promotion of new interactive


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services through an emerging technology such as the digital terrestrial television. The design and the animation help citizens to understand the provided services and howto use the application. The involvement of all main local stakeholders of Lazio makes T-Informo a value-added service. The layout is pleasant and well studied.”

Interim Conference on Interoperability in the iGovernment

The first European Summit on Interoperability in the iGovernment was held from 22 to24 November 2006 in Valencia. The event - supported by the European Commission – wasa unique opportunity to discuss an important issue such as interoperability which isplaying an increasingly strategic role within the EU policies on eGovernment.

ESIIG I will take a step forward in Rome next 11 and 12 October with the InterimConference on Interoperability in the iGovernment (www.towardsesiig2.it). The event isorganized by Lazio Region - Regional Ministry for Consumer Protection and AdministrativeSimplification.

The main objectives of the Conference are the following:

• Enhancing and supporting good practices and knowledge sharing in the field ofInteroperability in the iGovernment according to the priorities expressed in theInteroperability Declaration of Valencia presented during the First ESIIG.

• Analyzing the state of the art of the initiatives promoted in the InteroperabilityDeclaration of Valencia, especially the creation of the European Regional Network forInteroperability (ERNI).

• Involving national, European and international stakeholders and administrations inthe organization of the Second Summit on Interoperability in the iGovernment,expected to be organized by the Lazio Region in 2008, in order to represent as muchas possible the reflection of European Regions needs in the field of Interoperability.

The Interim Conference will bring together a high-qualified institutional audience fromPublic Administrations across Europe together with experts and academics in the field ofinteroperability.

It will be a unique opportunity for best practices sharing and an advantageous chance tosubmit successful initiatives to the attention of European Public Administrations and tothose European Commission bodies competent in the field of interoperability. The eventwill also be an unrivalled chance to discuss and share common objectives together withrepresentatives from European Institutions competent in the field.


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Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato S.p.A.

Information Technology and Telematic Production Department of the Istituto Poligrafico e

Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), the Italian Government Printing Office, has the task of managingthe Office’s IT, with respect to both basic infrastructure, such as hardware and software,and the development of complex telematic solutions commissioned internally or byother public bodies or private-sector organisations.

Following is an overview of the most significant projects developed by IPZS.

Sistema Modus

A complex telematic infrastructure has been developed – in partnership with the Ministryof Economy and Finance – featuring a series of integrated services for Government andthe general public: this is the Portal Modus – Electronic Forms that, on a b2b basis,comprises all government forms and can be used to make online orders to replenish thestocks of printed forms, while at the same time ensuring the necessary supervision andcontrol activities for which the ministry is responsible.

The Portal Modus – State Organs featuring the entire organisation of government,updated in real time, and a further series of integrated web services targeting civilservants, such as certified emails.

The Portal Modus – Virtual Library which publishes and makes available all governmentpublications.

The Portal Modus – Seniority Databases featuring the it structure of all governmentpersonnel.

The Portal Modus – Telematic Official Journal publishing the latest 60 issues of theofficial journal, free of charge.

Agenorea

A portal for the integrated management of currency paper.

The management system developed for the Ministry of Economy and Finance enablesthe integrated management of the processes as follows:

• Expenditure and requirement planning.• Planning tools.• Planned/Actual ratio control tools.• Expenditure cycle management flows.• Purchasing.• Direct billing.• Currency paper management.• E-documents.


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• Warehouse management.• Treasury warehouse.• Rome Inspection Office.• Foggia Inspection Office.• Fabriano Inspection Office.

Integrated management with IPZS of delivery of new security products (PSE – PE – CIE) and associated management of payments.

DoMoss

This is the acronym of Document Management Open Source System, an application forthe full management of paper document flows without having to use other procedures;it ensures:

• Electronic document registration (in accordance with the guidelines laid down byCNIPA, the Data Protection Authority and the Digital Administration Code).

• File management (e-Files).• Document Workflow management.• Interoperability with CNIPA standards.• Substitute filing.


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Foroeuropa

A review of community case law and european law. the layout of the portal has beendesigned to streamline the search and retrieval, by both experts and the general public,of documents and information, by the following subject areas, with a view to enablingfirst time visitors to approach this field.

Case Law Area

This contains the norms and the full italian language text of all the judgements of theeuropean court of justice, the court of first instance and the other european and domesticcourts (of community interest).

Legal Science Area

Contains both legal science discussion issues (leading articles by the editors) and articles.

Document Area

Contains various documents selected by the editorial staff (statutory instruments,decisions by community and national institutions).

News Area

The dynamic news area provides a sort of overview of the issues and subjects of interestthat will be featured in the next edition.

events/conferences area

Provides an overview of the scientific (conferences) and institutional issues ofcommunity interest.

Giustamm

The journal, published by istituto poligrafico e zecca dello stato since july 2000, is a fastand complete update and research tool in the field of administrative law.


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The front cover features the news published in the month by the judicial bodies,regulatory bodies and administrative law authors, while the database contains all majordocuments of interest on the subject issued since 1996.

The journal is updated on a daily basis and supplemented with statutory instruments,judgements, legal theory comments, in depth articles on various subjects, reports,reviews, monographical papers and any important information relating to the field ofpublic law and, in particular, administrative law.

Every month the journal, on its front cover, features select recent court decisions byOrdinary, Administrative and Special Courts (left hand column), the most authoritativecomments by public law scientists (central column) and sections on the parliamentaryand european daily schedules, a communications law review, all the conferences andother services (right hand column). Each document is featured on the cover with itsidentification number, title and a brief abstract of its content; inside the journal featuresthe full official texts supplemented with notes, brief comments, references and legalnorms and standards; interactive links allow visitors to open other associated, related orreference texts also featured by the journal. from the cover visitors can consult the fullcontents of the month’s issue or even all the previous issues.

“giustamm.it” is awarded the XIII Eugenio Selvaggi PrizeGiustizia Amministrativa is a Public Law Journalpublished by Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato

Guflow

Developing a “process” for certifying reliable and verified information, capable ofaccurately defining both the related activities and stakeholders, is of key importance insuch a complex and delicate project as the acquisition and “signing” of “digital”statutory instruments.

therefore, we have developed a shared editorial environment called guflow, for thepurpose of supervising the process of production of a publication (in this specific case,the italian official journal).


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This environment features a number of functionalities, including:• Importing and/or producing xml files.• Managing the entire process of acquisition and production of a publication (workflow).• Integration with the “digital signing” process.• Producing various “output” formats for the same publication.• Integration with the adobe indesign desktop publishing tool.

Guritel

The circulation of public databases by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato hasbeen formally acknowledged by the decree issued by the ministry of the treasury on 20thjanuary 1993. This task involves much painstaking editorial and document managementwork, which is carried out on a daily basis by the ipzs, for the purpose of providingcomplete, timely and easily accessible information to the general public.

The service includes various databases relating to key public information providers, as follows:• The official journal of the italian republic.• Commercial databases.• Professional trade associations.• The official journal of the european communities.• Tendering procedures.• Pharmaceutical databases.• Tax databases.


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Infotrav

One of the most significant projects worthy of mention is the Infotrav Portal, dedicatedto optimising the management processes related to the publication of travel agencyinformation, developed in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office’s Department forthe Development and Competitiveness of Tourism.

Institutional Commerce

Fully integrated with the corporate erp, the b2b based i-Commerce Portal has beendeveloped to market IPZS’ institutional products, such as rubber stamps and schoolreport forms.

IOL – Inserzioni On Line

A system for the web collection of advertising announcements for the Gazzetta UfficialeParte II and GU V Serie Speciale – Contratti Pubblici Supplements of the Italian OfficialJournal.

The system comprises two integrated application environments.


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The first concerns the workflow management of the request-publication of onlineannouncements, according to the stages as follows:

• Receipt of announcement request from client.• Validation of announcement.• Typesetting.• Approval for printing.

The other application environment concerns the generation of the sales order,generation of the deliveries of the free copies for the advertisers, billing, paymentrecording and related accounts balancing.

Notarlex

A portal featuring the legal studies by the Consiglio Nazionale del Notariato, NationalNotarial Council, the four codes (Civil, Criminal, Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure), thehighway code, the main statutory instruments and consolidated acts, constantly updatedin real time.


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Portale Acque

The result of a partnership with the Ministry of Health, the water portal aims atproviding the public with an information tool that is constantly updated in real timeand features the quality data relating to drinking water, bathing water, mineral watersand spa waters.

The portal is managed by means of editorial workflow systems aimed at the remote entryand certification of the contents, allowing the stakeholders responsible for the updatingprocess (local health authorities, regional governments, government committees) to entertexts and images and to approve and consent to the posting of documents by means ofweb applications.

SI.DI.MAR.

The sidimar portal is about state-of-the-art mapping systems, featuring the scientific databaseof the protecting the sea portal, which, on the contrary, targets a more general public.

SI.DI.MAR. is an information system capable of providing a complete and coordinatedoverview of the condition of the italian seas and coastal areas, with respect to both therelated ecological conditions and the anthropic, economic and industrial activitiesaffecting the coastal areas above and under water. Thanks to its data collection activities– from the regional marine environment observation networks – made available to usersvia the web, si.di.mar is still today the only nationwide database collecting data on themarine environment.

SI.DI.MAR. features and displays, through the gis (geographical information system),information relating to:• Marine environmental data (dam).• Distribution of alien organisms in the mediterranean.• Coastal mapping of the posidonia oceanica beds in italy.• Position, zoning and borders of the existing marine protected areas.• Beaching of cetaceans and marine tortoises in italy.


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The integration of the above mentioned data in a single environment means that all theuseful information can be made available to: assess the breadth and incidence of anyepisode of alteration of the marine environment, by comparing the relevant data with theprevious data; identify the basic values, by monitoring the so-called “blank” spots (areaswith the lowest possible anthropic impact, such as, for example, the marine protectedareas) of a numerous series of sea-health indicators, based on which the extent of theenvironmental damage can then be determined.

Tutela del Mare

The protecting the sea portal, developed for the ministry of the environment, is set tobecome a state-of-the-art showcase of information on the protection of nature.

Based on state-of-the-art and cutting-edge web technologies, mostly open source,subject to the accessibility and usability controls laid down by the applicable statutoryregulations, the portal features a series of interesting topics relating to services for thepublic, including an environmental monitoring system, based on smart webcams,capable of streaming images via the web and of sending out automatic alarms, withrespect to suitably mapped and structured events (such as, for example, unauthorisedentry into marine protected areas).


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Portale Ricettari Medici

www.ricettari.ipzs.it

The medical prescription portal targets the local health authorities (ASL) and is aimed atmonitoring the delivery of the medical prescriptions addressed to them.

IPZS is a partner in the Health Card project, for which it produces the cards and theserialised medical prescriptions and transmits the data within the central tracing systemmanaged by SOGEI on behalf of the Ministry of the Economy and Finance.

This implementation is also aimed at protecting and consolidating a highly profitableproduct line for IPZS.

Vendite On-Line Zecca

A new online sales catalog for the ipzs products.The catalog is expected to boost sales, by using the b2c web channel, featuring paymentby credit card, multilingual access, and the streamlining of back-office operationsrelating to the numismatic products.


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EuroSpace Srl formally began in 2001 as an initiative by Renato Lucarini, a freelancemanager with a track record in industry (Stet) and about ten years in working on his ownaccount, who decided to pool his wide experience of working with the Italiangovernment and other major institutions around the world.

EuroSpace s.r.l. aims to work with institutions, ICT companies and the public for the bestand widest possible diffusion of these contributions of information and communication,in the spirit of the following European values:

• The primary aims of ICT are social progress, quality of life, growth of job opportunities,

and the commercial success of the industry.

• ICT’s growing globalisation requires a wide range of technological knowledge

and familiarity with applications, and a high admixture of originality andinnovation.

• Economic and social development are boosted by all possible forms of cooperation

between public and private bodies that can contribute high quality added value intheir own areas of work.

• An interdisciplinary approach is an essential ingredient of economic, technological,organisational and application development.

• International experience and collaboration guarantee “vision”, quality, and theeffectiveness of the solutions designed.

• All business activity is strengthened by full respect for ethical principles and thedignity of the individual.

To have the best possible impact in terms of projects and presence at European decision-making centres, EuroSpace Srl has opened offices not only in Rome and Milan but alsoin Poland (Warsaw), with partners of great international experience, well established intheir institutional and industrial surroundings.

From time to time EuroSpace Srl also brings other companies, practices and freelanceexperts into its scientific and design activities, where these can guarantee an excellentlevel of quality, for the full success of its projects.

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1.Areas of Activity

1.1 ICT Systems, Services and Projects

Technical and professional performance is assured, thanks to international qualitystandards and with proven methodologies, featuring:

• In-depth study of the objectives, and projects implementation focusing on Europeankey aspects.

• Highly implemented innovation with focus on social.• Top quality methods for development and project control.• Co-operation of professionals with long-term international experience.

EuroSpace Srl is a specialist in the application of ICT to the social area, including boththe government and its agencies (central and local) and all public and private operationsaimed at improving the quality of life, the development of regions, trade, enterprise andcraftsmanship (essentially, all that has been identified internationally as “the City of theXXI century in the Information Society”).

It specialises also in application solutions (hardware and software) involving mobile

telecommunications and geo-referenced cartography for urban areas.

1.2 Communication Projects

To provide inspiration as “symbols”, words need to have a conceptual content richer thantheir usual reference; symbolic concepts can generally be better expressed in terms ofdichotomy or “dialogue”. Eurospace Srl carries out work for government agencies’communication with citizens, and private companies’ communication with governmentagencies: it handles the practical realities and actions involved in the followingdialogues:

• Citizen/Institutions, requiring effective reporting back and a reciprocal collaborationto increase service effectiveness and improve service quality.

• Public/Private bodies, aimed at arranging shared responsibilities between these two,for effective results. This dialogue is indispensable if the aims of a national system areto be achieved; and in it the important thing is the overall result rather thanimmediate economic returns: it is a commitment of professionalism and skills, whichoften brings further forms of mutual benefit. The dialogue is not an easy one to putinto practice, but is extremely useful for communication.

• Collective imagination /Information Society. In the present initial phase of theInformation Society, it is the collective imagination which determines the image ofevery product and service – and hence its success. This is a complex concept, whichinvolves bringing together the most disparate expectations among the publicconcerning economic development and the quality of life. The Information Society

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necessarily revolves around the collective imagination, and the rewards for thosewho know how to read and stimulate it are great.

The simultaneous "application" of these three “dialogues”, more than ever, makesimportant for Public Administrations to "implement communication" in institutionalFairs, where local and central Public Administrations and ICT firms jointly participate.

In such a cultural environment, EuroSpace Srl has deeply strengthened its experiences,carrying out communication projects for its clients both in the Public and in the Privatesector.

2. Principal Activities

To protect the confidentiality of the government agencies and companies EuroSpace Srlis working with at present, details of operations for 2006 are not given; but below is a listof those carried out in the last few years by the three founder members (often jointly):

• Putting on exhibition and communication events for the Italian Home Office. Designactivities for the New Voting Booth and the New Polling Station; conception, designand creation of experimental and final prototypes: functionality, aesthetics, materials,etc. Presentations to the public and the press.

• High-profile ICT services and consultancy for various major private companies andcentral and local public agencies.

• Consultancy for SMAU in the sectors of central and local government (as sole agent).Scientific coordination of the PubbliSmau sector, through the drawing up andcarrying out of annual and four-year programmes: high-quality installations, withstrong value added in terms of exhibitors’ communication. Scientific consultancy inthe Telecommunications sector, with the planning of an international exhibition eventspecifically devoted to it.

• Upon invitation of the Italian government, participation in Habitat II, the UN World

Conference on Human Settlements, held in Istanbul in 1996.

• Participation, by Council of Europe invitation, to the Experts Committee onmodernisation of Local and Regional Government of Strasbourg Council of Europe(2002), in order to present innovative solution of social and industrial value.

• Publishing of the:• 2002 English Edition of the book "e-Government, e-Governance: an Italian experience".

• 2004 English/Italian Edition of the book “e-Government: how to make system”.

• 2005 English Edition of the book “e-Government: European Strategies Compared”.

• 2006 English Edition of the book “e-Government: Communication, Concertation,

Cooperation”.

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Eurospace

All the editions were spread according to a distribution list of 10.000 European names:Institutions, and major international firms, and printed media.

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Administration and Information Society:Content and Open Questions

Formez

Administration and Information Society

The efficient use of new technologies in the Public Administration, means more efficient,effective and inclusive actions ranging from the field of public services to democraticinvolvement. Information and communications technologies (ICT) cannot play anefficient role when they act alone, e-Government needs profound administrativetransformations and personnel with appropriate competencies and skills. The key themeof information society has been developed in the European framework of e-Government2010 with focus on five thematic areas:• Inclusion policies: no citizen should be left behind.• Efficient and effective administrations.• High impact services which respond to consumers needs.• Enabling factors for e-Government.• Enhanced involvement of bodies.

Through the Digital Administration Code, Italy has defined citizens principles and rightsin a more innovative and integrated manner. The application of the code requiresattention on its interpretation and the criticalities to be faced. Moreover, in terms ofregulations, Italy was considered to be an exemplary case for a certain length of time,but unfortunately the advanced regulatory framework did not lead to the development ofe-government services and information society. An observatory on the DigitalAdministration Code should measure PA qualitative and quantitative performances withregard to the implementation of rights and instruments. The European Commission hasstrengthened its commitment to measuring efficiency and efficacy of the actions carriedout by the 27 countries with the adoption of a benchmarking system based on indicators(which partially already exist) which measure and compare performances concerning: • Availability and sophistication.• Diffusion of online services.• Impact.

The main problem for the national competitiveness in the field of development of theinformation society, is the scarce inter-operability. A lack of inter-operability meanslonger working hours and higher costs for the provision of high-quality services whichrespond to the citizens needs.

Public Administration plays a relevant role in permitting Italy together with Europe tobecome “the more competitive and dynamic economy in the world, able to conciliate asustainable economic growth, better job opportunities and stronger social cohesion. Thisapproach is known as the Lisbon strategy and highlights how Italy’s development isdelayed compared to other European countries. The indicators used by the EuropeanCommission to monitor the evolution of the Lisbon strategy, showed that in 2006 Italywas the second-last (24th out of 25) with a worrying regression compared to 2004. Theachievement of these objectives could affect both the gross internal product with agrowth of 12 – 13% and occupation with an increase of 11%.

Administration and Information Society: Content and Open Questions

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With regard to the indicator “Towards an Information Society for All”, Italy is at the 16thposition. This indicator measures how new ICT technologies have been used to shareknowledge and augment productivity of the production system. This is based on theidentification of ICT priorities in government policies, technology penetration (Internet,pc), use of the Internet in businesses and schools.

Administration and Inclusion Policies

These actions allow for improved access and use of online public services so that nocitizen or business are at risk of exclusion and in particular, actions of active promotionand diffusion of solutions for improving access and use of online public services.Among the key points, there are:• Inadequate access to information and communications technologies.• Lack of trust and safety.• Slowed development of multi-channels (Internet, digital television, mobile phones).

In addition, an excessive proliferation of self-representative public websites and fewportals from which the citizen can access all the services of interest, is to be taken intoaccount.

Efficient and Effective e-Government

The Lisbon strategy aims to augment EU productivity and ensure competitiveness withother world economies. Productivity in the PA is difficult to measure: It is easier tomonitor efficiency by measuring progress and performance and improve the quality ofservices through a modernization program which includes:• Development and sharing of strategic knowledge.• Benchmarking and experience sharing.• Sustainable mechanisms to foster cooperation and re-use of software.• An efficient and adequate use of open standards.

High Impact Services

This refers to the identification of high impact services on which to concentrate e-Government policies by carrying out actions to improve the quality of services based onuser satisfaction and reducing the administrative burden for citizens and businesses e.g.:• Digital signature to acknowledge electronic identity.• Public e-Procurement. • Work mobility for citizens.• Social security (healthcare, pensions, territorial mobility).• e-Learning.

Enabling Factors for e-Government

The main problems regard those factors which are transversal to all the various areas ofthe information society.


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National competitiveness depends on the minor production costs which todayprincipally represent transaction costs. The increased productivity registered in the field,is much lower than the data registered for the USA economy.

The methods to reduce transaction costs for the Italian administrations and betweenadministrations and citizens and businesses, are based on inter-operability,organizational barriers and easy use.

The main enabling factors are the following:• Electronic identity and safety• Authenticity of documentation• Inter-operability (organizational, semantic and technological)• Open standards

Enhanced Involvement

The aim is to carry out actions for the greater involvement of citizens in decision-makingprocesses through information society channels and instruments to guarantee greaterparticipation and augment the levels of e-Democracy.

Today, the web has gone through a significant evolution towards participation and hasreturned to the initial logic of the urban networks through the development of servicesand opportunities for establishing social networks and communities. It is not only aquestion of introduction of new technologies, but also a diversified use of the existingtechnologies as identified in the Web 2.0 paradigm.

The connection is substantially the transition from “one (the institution) to many (thecitizens)” type of communications towards a “many to many” type of communications.

Experiences

Formez has experienced various thematic fields which have been identified in theEuropean framework of e-Government 2010. The actions realized were faultless, althougha direct integration with European policies could not be created.

Projects were implemented to study in depth some of the specific themes and to gainexperience and competency in those fields in close relation with administrations andcitizens.

These actions are mainly experimental and have led to substantial results and thereliability of the intervention logic.

In view of development, single projects should be assigned a system value which isbetter harmonized with the European strategies as well as a greater relevance leading toa positive impact at national level.

When assessed from the point of view of the objectives, some of the project experiencesare to be considered from the logic of the inclusion policies:


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• To improve the PA capacity to communicate and provide online services.• To carefully understand and respond to citizens needs.

Furthermore, those projects conceived on the basis of the activities and methods used,are consistent with the themes of greater efficiency and efficacy of e-government:• Utilization of benchmarking instruments.• Development and sharing of knowledge.

The two projects of Net Learning & Knowledge Management (Pon Atas ob 3 and ob 1)focussed on the development of new management and evaluation methods and thediffusion in the Public Administration of the following:• Measurement and performance evaluation systems and methods of PA Internet

systems and benchmarking.

The methods of reference to conduct the analysis of the PA institutional websites, wasthe Arpa-L method, by Censis-Rur (Analisi delle Reti delle Pubbliche AmministrazioniLocali – Assessment of the Local Public Administration Networks). Based on 120indicators, this method is absolutely flexible and allows for a quantitative and qualitativeanalysis of the websites as well as benchmarking between the various PA websites.

The definition of the scale of the qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out onthe basis of the Arp-L indicators through which the quality of the institutional websiteswas evaluated (institutional content and administrative transparency, quality and inter-activity of services, usability and accessibility, cooperation, inter-relation andcommunities, territorial marketing, professional performance of technological devices).

The project involved regional and provincial administrations as well as capitalmunicipalities of Liguria and Campania, provinces of Tuscany, Molise and Lazio.

Parallel to this, the research “Cittadini digitali” used systems and methods forunderstanding and measuring the demand for web services by the citizens. The analysishas been structured so as to obtain a symmetrical survey compared to that carried outon the websites, which allows for the following:• Identify eventual dissimilarities between the level of website quality, evaluated and

described in the analytical report on the website, and the level of quality as perceivedby the citizens.

• Highlight priorities, strengths and weaknesses.• Compare the range of levels of quality achieved in the course of the years.• Start up a benchmarking process with other local entities.• Promote online organizational systems (Intranet and communities, joint

environments) to support the production services for improving the quality of Internetservices.

The project defined Intranet models and methods for assessing competencies andsubsequently, their transfer through e-learning.The model proposed aims at integratingthe key components of knowledge management Intranets, namely integrating:• Content management, mainly aimed to the drafting and publication of online

information content.• Learning management for engineering training courses, the production of re-usable

multimedia content, the provision of online courses and online learning.


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• Knowledge management for the organization, transfer and access to individual andsocial knowledge, continuous training, updating of competencies, sharing ofexperiences and online collaboration.

Furthermore, the establishment of networks between public administrations in the fieldof online documentation and information is a project intervention consistent with thetopic of enabling factors for e-government which implies the following aspects:• Organizational and semantic inter-operability.• Use of open standards.

Developing greater inter-operability means increased capacity of relating the systems forinformation elaboration and the work flows, understanding and re-using the informationderiving from other organizations. This means facilitating communications, interactionand transactions between different entities and partners, thus encouraging the growth ofcompetitiveness in the field of the development of the information society. Such a lackwould lead to longer working hours and higher costs for the provision of high-qualityservices. The question here does not exclusively concern the technological aspect. Themost evident limits resulting from experience and research are connected to the variousways of classification of the information resources and the lack of homogeneity in theorganizational processes.

The project “Sistema Biblioteche Pubblica Amministrazione” emphasized the key roleand the task that information structures like PA libraries, have in information society inthe light of the development of online services, the value of networks and cooperation,standards, inter-operability and flexible instruments; their strengthening through mixedtraining courses for the civil servants from the participant bodies and the activation of acommunity, competencies of librarians and documentalists.

To respond to the needs for document research of PA functionaries and citizens, theproject has created online services for searching information, paper and onlinedocuments through the activation of a network between libraries which are qualified onrelevant themes for the PA. Its diffusion in the field of international and semanticstandards on cataloguing, has led to the creation of a specialized meta-catalogue inorder to question libraries on the network simultaneously.

This is an important step towards inter-operability which has allowed for a renewedshared organization of inter-library services and document delivery, realized withstandard online procedures.

To share and develop greater future inter-operability of languages, heritage anddocument services for the Public Administration in order to avoid dispersion of resourcesand guarantee improved services, means to learn about the bodies and services whichare currently provided. Thus, the databank of the PA libraries “registry office” wasrealized.

By using flexible and inter-operational instruments, a digital library was established in order to allow easieraccess to the documentation produced by public administrations and available online, which are oftendifficult to be procured due to the dispersion of documents on the web. The creation of a catalogue of theweb resources produced by the various public administrations, highlighted the lack of homogeneity ofsingle standards in terms of online distribution of public administration documents. Technologies, onlinedocuments and digital content are not enough to ensure usability and access for the citizen.


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It is evident that with their experiences and know-how, information experts, librarians and documentalistscan give an important contribution to developing information society and more in general, e-Government,but in this case the development and constant updating of competencies is of key importance. In the ambitof the training courses realized through the project, the focus was on inter-operability, organization andsearch for online information.

The need for inter-operability which goes beyond mere technology, has emerged also in the ambit ofFormez document management: Library documentation and diffusion of the project results andKnowledge Management have been combined in order to establish a single system for the classificationof all the information produced by the institute, namely a system which provides standards for theproduction of documents, meta-data patterns and dictionaries for communicating inside and outside theweb and which contributes to augmenting the efficacy of information services and productivity.

An appropriate classification system which is standard and inter-operational together with a researchsystem is strategic for the documentation produced. This can contribute to the improved online publicationof documents and to the enhanced promotion of an entity which is essential to find documents andsubsequently, to re-utilize them.

The logics and instruments to manage knowledge and online learning which Formezexperimented in a diffused manner for most projects, as well as the diffusion of content,instruments and know-how for e-learning are fundamental to improve Public

Administration efficiency.

In the field of Public Administration, Formez experience leads to diffuse the following:• a constant and qualified production process (process and product standards) of re-

usable multi-media content;• systems for their management and sharing (repositories of learning objects);• open source learning environments;• management systems of know-how to be used within Formez and in the ambit of the

projects.

Perspectives of Development

In the ambit of the government strategic guide-lines, the new strategic framework “i2010– Una società europea dell’informazione per la crescita e l’occupazione” (i2010 – TheEuropean information society for growth and occupation) and related programs for theperiod 2007 – 2010, Formez must embark on projects focussing on each one of the fivethematic areas.

From the Net Learning & Knowledge Management experience, an intervention could beformulated which faces inclusion through the support to the PA in the finalization ofactions aimed to diverse beneficiaries, thus developing two areas of intervention:• design for all;• special services for disadvantaged groups.

In the ambit of “design for all” the experience gained by Formez represents a significantstarting point to face various critical aspects: • development of capacities and competencies;• multi-channels;• support to civil servants through a network and communities;• accessibility.


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Experiences in online communications identified the strong need of the PA for supportand training to improve internal resources, integration and quality of services and onlineinformation as well as a deeper knowledge of needs and capacity of use for citizens. Inparticular, some critical problems have been recently identified through assessment andstudy: • under-estimation of the importance of automation and re-organization of the back office;• difficulty in cooperation and interaction between bodies at various levels;• scarce involvement and collaboration in those sectors specialized in the specific

services developed;• lack of specialistic and project management competencies in public administrations;• inhomogeneous, sporadic and experimental provision of online services hardly

interacting with the territory.

System interventions should be embarked on with the transfer of competencies andactivities of assistance by focussing on three fundamental aspects regarding the qualityof services: provision of services, front end and back office and in particular, byintervening on:• the quality of online public communications;

• analysis and evaluation of web services, benchmarking;• inter-operability, accessibility, usability, reliability of web services;• citizen satisfaction of PA web services;

• communications in the Public Administration; • Intranet, online organization and social network;

• sharing of knowledge;• knowledge management to support development and sharing of knowledge

between individuals, groups, communities and organizations.

To openly face inter-operability as one of the five main challenges for the creation of asingle European information area f is essential when facing radical changes of IT publicservices in terms of quality and competitiveness.

In order to realize inter-operability, the national strategic guide-lines for e-governmentneed homogeneous and thorough semantic descriptions of data which allow univocaland automatically usable classification of the services offered and the data accessible onthe part of the administrations.

The experience gained by Formez with the creation and management of bibliographicand document catalogues and services can provide a valid contribution to projectsregarding the realization of semantic inter-operability in the PA.

Above all, it is necessary to give an answer to the need for easy access to thedocumentation produced and to the PA needs for information and updating, thusavoiding the dispersion subsequent to the indiscriminate establishment of partialsystems which are different from one another and which waste financial and humanresources for realization and research activities. The principle problems are the following: • lack of a standard classification system of the Italian Public Administration;• lack of a single system of access to the documentation produced.

A series of complementary project actions are needed: the establishment of a singleclassification system for the PA jointly with the development of a network and services


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of the SBPA (Public Administration Library System) as well as the re-organization andcapitalization of the documents available.

A study must be embarked on so as to realize a guide to semantic inter-operability whichprovides the public sector with elements and information to classify documents andinformation. The semantic inter-operability of the Italian and European PA needs a singleclassification system in compliance with the international standards which provide meta-data patterns and the necessary controlled dictionaries. This should take place in linewith what has already been realized by other European governments, in particular by theBritish government in the ambit of the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF).

To proceed with the creation and updating of repositories which respond to the mostdiffused universal criteria of access and classification, is necessary (Dublin CoreMetadata, Open Archive Protocol, international classification standards).

Among the high impact services, one of the PA fields to which Formez can grandlycontribute is e-Learning.

At present, online training is hardly diffused in the Italian Public Administration andabove all, is often managed by bodies external to the PA. This situation generates variousproblems:• duplication of investment at low rate of internationalization and accumulation;• limited inter-operability and collaboration between administrations to generate scale

and multi-purpose economies; • limited re-use of patterns and contents.

From the CNIPA steering initiatives in the field of e-Learning (directives, guide-lines andvademecum) the competencies necessary in the Italian PA must be developed for thepurpose of an optimized use of ICT in training civil servants.

A system intervention must be finalized on the basis of an instrumental and methodologicalapproach and model based on content and open technologies which imply: • definition of instrumental, high-quality and cost standards for the realization of e-

learning courses and contents;• training and establishment of a community of trainers (e-learning designers, online

tutors and organizers, multimedia scriptwriters, LMS technicians);• production of multimedia contents which respond to an outsourced need for steering

actions by the government;• creation of a shared repository of courses and multimedia content (Learning Object);• experimentation and diffusion of open source solutions for online training;• promotion of a web channel dedicated to e-Learning.


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Conclusions

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Public Administration: at the roots of Information Society

Renato Lucarini, Eurospace s.r.l., Italy

Patrizia Caiola, Studio Caiola, Italy

1.The Role of Public Administration in the Information Society

1.1 Employment and the Information Society

For many years the most serious problem besetting Europe has been employment. Onthis subject even the sharpest minds of industry and finance seem to have run out ofconstructive ideas. In reality, the White Paper (1993) of the European Commission underJacques Delors, “Growth, Competitiveness, and Employment: The Challenges and WaysForward into the 21st Century”, posing the central problem of the “three unemployments”,among them technological unemployment, located every new opportunity for growthand employment in technological progress. In its “Conclusions” the White Paper statesthat evolution towards an “Information Society” is a fundamental shift that cannot beresisted, involving all the cogs of society and the relationships between economicpartners. The common space for information is a factor in economic and social improvement.In the present competitive context, access to information and its mobilisation becomeessential elements of productivity and competitiveness, especially for small andmedium-sized enterprises.

At the time, in European political circles the Delors White Paper met mostly withcriticism. Many of the ideas expressed were indeed interpreted as matters that could beput off to some future date and, together with the worrying underlying vision ofemployment, were ignored. Scientific circles in Europe on the other hand were stronglyimpressed by the concept of the Information Society (which was here defined andsymbolised for the first time). They could sense its deep and coherent meaning, and itsgreat economic and job-creating potential. Thus the strongest positive proposals camefrom the world of ICT and university departments of urban planning, both of thesesensitive to social evolution, and particularly adept at promoting and coordinating inter-professional and international collaboration.

During that period many large-scale international meetings were held, and theEuropean, Asian and African scientific communities immediately aligned themselveswith the model of the Information Society born in Europe, which was founded on solidethical values and, alongside economic objectives and benefits, also placed those of

employment and quality of life. Politicians and scientists in the European Unionsensed at once that the access of ordinary citizens to information andcommunications technology would be decisive for the development of the City of the

21st century, which, according to the EU’s Directorate General XII for Science andTechnology, would be:

• “glocal”:a combination of global and local, with a better balance between the processes ofglobalisation and enhancement of local resources and diverse particular situationsand attitudes;


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• “sustainable”:able to solve within itself the problems it generates, without offloading them onothers or on future generations;

- “agora”:with complete harmony between social cohesion and economic development.

A new mode of forming associations, spontaneous and for the first time multi-

professional was initiated, which succeeded in devising models and social solutions thatwere extremely innovative and of great significance; this occurred particularly in Englandand Italy; and proposals were put forward foreshadowing new forms of employment,based on autonomous, non-profit, cooperative, voluntary work, etc.

1.2 The European and the American Models

Thus was born, from the creative work of relatively restricted number of intellectuals, theEuropean vision of the Information Society: a “social vision”, very different from the“technocratic vision” simultaneously being conceived in the United States by PresidentClinton and Al Gore. The concept of “information highways” coined by them referred totechnological infrastructures, but not to solutions and services for the general public thatwould meet the needs and aspirations of the multifarious population and would bebased on research programmes at world level. In his initial proclamation of 1993 Clintonstated that as the fathers made the American nation great through a network of highwaysconnecting up its ports and allowing the exchange of goods, so the information highwayswill connect up the whole country and make possible the exchange of multimediainformation, creating similar prosperity. In subsequent years, heavy Americaninvestments in ICT technologies allowed information highways to be rapidly put in place,but that has not sufficed to sustain lift-off, because solutions for what is “social” do notonly need information technology, but also common and shared objectives, based on thevalues of the particular country and the support of the collective imagination.

Thus, American technological might has only partially succeeded in giving rise to a newand innovative Society. On the contrary, by announcing objectives that it could not thenmeet, it has created a fundamental confusion which is not yet over, losing sight of thenecessary social awareness: the awareness that is born of complexity, develops throughself-questioning, and is made actual through medium and long-term objectives. In fact,

the level of development of the Information Society is to be measured in the Public

Administration of the individual country; because it is precisely the PublicAdministration which has the responsibility of guiding the development: integrating allits components - social and technological, public and private, the efficient and theeffective, those that bring immediate benefit and those that are long term. Without thisessential perspective, one risks losing all sense of direction in economic and socialdevelopment, to the detriment of the individual citizen and the community.

1.3.The World Context

A correct vision of the world context constitutes the necessary premise for every socialconsideration and every strategy implementing the Information Society. Unfortunately,not even this elementary proposition is always shared, because the dominant cultures(out of superficiality and presumption) tend to impose their own socio-technologicalhegemonies. Throughout the world, the word “failure” is recurring more and more in


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relation to large-scale ICT projects for Public Administrations. The cause of all this is thefailure to realise that only very profound studies, and very complex and inter-sectorprojects, can guarantee the final success of medium and long-term solutions, servicesand strategies, such as are, by definition, those of the Public Administration.

The present world context has some fundamental characteristics: a) macro-phenomena:

a1) a structural crisis in industry, finance and employment (not yet balanced by theeffects of the services society);

a2) a new increased social awareness among individuals and communities;a3) an increasing demand for public services.

b) trends:b1) a strong and continuous development of IT and telecommunications;b2) awareness and “know-how” is more important than the information itself;b3) a high percentage of failures in public projects for innovation sustained by ICT.

c) emergencies:c1) the “work and unemployment” emergency; c2) the “social marginalisation of the individual” emergency (linked to social cracks

that may be ascribed to lack of technological preparedness or limited financialresources).

Knowledge of the social problems at world level is one of the prerequisites foridentifying innovative solutions that can encourage development and meet

emergencies. To avert the risk of failures, it is necessary to carry out, during the projectdesign stage, a really deep analysis of the technical, administrative and social aspects:for important projects, which normally require three to five years to implement, a projectstage of twelve months is totally acceptable.

1.4.The European Vision

In the world context that has just been examined, Europe expresses its own particular“vision”. It does so alternating lucidity and the odd omission, but always with intellectualhonesty, a sense of identification, and high motivation. This “vision” derives from threesources:

• the strategic line worked out by the European Commission in the early 1990s;• international research, coordinated by certain Italian University Institutes in close

collaboration with the United Nations Organisation;• studies carried out by British and Italian scientific teams on social planning.• Those like us who have participated and are participating in person in this work on

social planning know the scientific expertise that goes into these activities, and thepracticality of the solutions planned. From the work there stem Europe’s hopes in its

future, and the constant effort to counteract any possible inhibitor, through“European solutions”, based on an in-depth “project analysis” and careful studies of“sustainability”. This “European vision”, strong in its claim to be the first in the field,suggests the route for the individual Nations of the EU to follow, re-echoing thefamous dictum of Mark Twain, that ideals are like stars, to be looked at but nottouched; but we are like sailors who, by looking at the stars, get where we want.


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The European vision has particular characteristics that distinguish it:a) the Information Society:

a1) centrality of technologies;a2) strong thrust towards innovation;a3) urgency of widespread interactive multimedia literacy among the population.

b) the social approach:b1) support for the economy (but not exclusively);b2) support for quality of life;b3) support for employment;b4) glocal = glo(bal) + (lo)cal approach.

c) an increased role for Local Administrations:c1) a highly infrastructural role; c2) “motor” of innovation.

1.5 The “Priorities” of Public Administration

In Italy, central and local Public Administrations have over the last ten years successfullyidentified a series of “priorities” which have made it possible first of all to conceive andthen to put into practice a number of extremely useful, innovative and effective solutionsand services. This has certainly not happened without causing organisational andinstitutional tensions. But the determination displayed by those Administrations thatwere politically and technically best prepared means that it has been possible to achieveimportant, visible results, recognised and appreciated also abroad (as was seen on theoccasion of the Third Global Forum on ICT in Public Administration, Naples, March 2001,at which as many as 128 countries were present, and the detailed contents of which werepublished by P3rojects S.r.l. in the 2002 Volume “e-Government: An Italian Experience”).

The priorities of the Italian Public Administration are the offspring of the “world context”and of the “European vision” analysed in the preceding paragraphs. They represent themost concrete and advanced expression of the social expectations of our country:

1. innovation and effectiveness in services offered by local and central PublicAdministrations;

2. development of inter-sector solutions for on-line public services (i.e. solutions whichinvolve different levels of the central and local government chain);

3. availability of standardised public services equally distributed throughout the whole

of Italy (to avoid the most innovative services being made available throughout thecountry in a patchy way, and to ensure equal treatment to all citizens and socialcohesion);

4. sustainable decentralisation (so that the national laws on administrativedecentralisation do not operate as an obstacle to the unity of the inter-sector projectsat the level of the various Regions);

5. national and international publication of the best practical achievements (withouthowever neglecting to study any failures).


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1.6.The European “Values”

The Information Society will always be anchored to the human and social valuesexpressed by the particular territory in which it functions. Notwithstanding the steadytrend towards a standardisation of human settlements and customs, every country tendsto develop the influence of its own cultures. It is logical and appropriate that it should beso: it would be neither morally nor socially acceptable to impose on anyone thesensibility and ethical standards of people from distant countries, the aspirations andweight of other cultures. Every land will only be able to develop economically andsocially in the context of the Information Society by drawing inspiration from the values

rooted within it: values which the Public Administration can and must promote in all itsinitiatives.

Europe, as it has explicitly demonstrated in international meetings about public ICT overthe last ten years, is proud of its values, and is determined to promote them throughCommunity actions. It does this sometimes in open opposition to the American vision,whose multimedia products are based on a predominantly economic culture both at thesocial and the individual level.

Unforgettable are the bitter words spoken by the representative of an African country atthe Istanbul Summit (1996) to this effect: “We in our country do not have enough food tolive; nevertheless we are here to understand. But if you, American and Europeans,continue to quarrel instead of helping us to understand, then we prefer to return home!We certainly will never give up our own standards and our particular circumstances!”Similar ideas were expressed by the Prime Minister of Tunisia and other Africangovernment spokespersons, on the need to develop public ICT with absolute respect forthe local circumstances of a country, on the occasion of the international meeting inPalermo organised in the spring of 2002 by the Italian Minister for Innovation andTechnology, Lucio Stanca. These strong signals coming from those who governdeveloping countries indicate that the values espoused by Europe will be decisive intrade relations with African and Asian markets. ICT will allow important social progressto be made in Public Administration only under the aegis of values expressed by Europe:

the values of the individual (which derive from centuries of tormented religious, ethical,social and scientific progress) and the values of the community (already today at thebasis of all Community initiatives).

The European values which directly involve ICT in the Public Administration are:a) the value of the person;b) the value of democracy;c) the value of social cohesion;d) the value of innovation;e) the value of project planning;f) the value of sustainability;g) the value of quality of life.

1.7.The Logic Behind the European Concept of “Social Ends”

Also in terms of social ends, the Information Society has had a different approach on thisside and the other of the Atlantic. In the United States, business and economicdevelopment prevailed, and they tended to consider any use which expanded


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multimedia technology as legitimate: without any controls, ignoring risks of the abuse ofimages and information; almost not caring about the needs for reliability and security.The term “e-Commerce” was bandied about, but it was used in relation to a publicformed simply of consumers rather than of citizen-users, forgetting the need for qualityand citizens’ expectations of added value. They even ended up confusing the concept ofe-Commerce with the mere exchange of data between businesses (extremely useful, butobeying a logic which has nothing to do with the innovation promised by the InformationSociety).

As a response to change, the European logic has been carefully and precisely thoughtthrough, built around some programmatic social cornerstones:

3 the conceptual pillars of the Delors White Paper as regards employment;

3 the formulation of objectives associating economic development also with quality of life;

3 the formulation of Framework Research Programmes, hinging on the concepts of theInformation Society and on its social purposes (as had been studied by technocrats inBrussels, and developed by scientific groups formed in Italy and the United Kingdom);

3 the insertion of ICT into the deliberations of the Commissions of the Council of

Europe on the subjects of democracy and regional and local development;

3 “glocal” strategy as a guarantee of “sustainability”.

On the contrary, the European vision sprang from the capacity to foresee the epoch-making changes brought by the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Europe had experienced thesuffering generated by that Wall, and therefore it knew that nothing would be the sameas before. It was necessary to anticipate change and to identify as quickly as possible thedirection of a new social mentality and of a new development that would result from it.

This latter point requires some further explanation. The employment problem unites allthe nations of the globe in a deep social anxiety. The right answer has struggled toemerge, because the solutions are hidden in places within the culture and socialsensibility which are still unfamiliar to the present mind-set. The latest attempt (it tooheavily criticised now) has been “globalisation”. The original purpose of this was to createa virtuous (not vicious) circle between trade, production and finance, but it is beingtransformed into a gruelling competition, instantaneous and universal, betweencountries, between businesses, and sometimes also between individuals. In effect,globalisation risks killing off markets, because it has focussed on maximum efficiency(inevitably causing a standardisation of quality downwards, and a ferocious price war)and it humiliates the initiative of small businesses (which are generally the weakest froma financial point of view). Globalisation, if taken as the “central model”, risks damaging

the economy and employment irremediably, and, to sum up, doing harm to that qualityof life which is so desired.

It would be wrong however to delude oneself that one can pass rough and readyjudgements on such complex concepts. In fact “globalisation” was created by theconvergence of the two technological worlds of information science andtelecommunications: an integrated technology which, by immensely extending the


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potential of information, has had as a natural consequence also the globalisation ofproducts, services and markets. From this can flow great advantages, provided that the

irresistible technological globalisation is put at the service of social innovation.

The logical intent of the European Union is to steer globalisation towards concreteinitiatives of “local” value, a plan for which the UE (innovative in this choice of name) hascoined the word “glocality”: the capacity to generate “sustainable growth”, in a “localkey”, guaranteed by a global vision and by global tools. In this way, technologicalglobalisation will finally be able to stand as a promise to the world of social andeconomic development (achieving simultaneously “the best of the global” and “the bestof the local”), in a marriage between global knowledge/tools and local aims for particularinitiatives. Thus there will be a balance between global processes and development ofthe particular district in question, carried out in accordance with local needs fordevelopment and sustainability, and respecting the specificity of the district.

2. EU-USA: A Synergy to Meet Great Economic and Social Challenges

2.1 The Need for Synergies

Hitherto, we have analysed the concepts, research studies and possible benefits that areat the basis of the Information Society, with the aim of exploring the “roots” of this

Society now being born, where the sources of the great “social mutations” are to befound. The evolutions of history have deep “roots”; and even though we have livedthrough the years in which today’s change have occurred, we end up undervaluing thepast; but the fruits come from those very roots; or rather, sometimes they come andsometimes they don’t, depending on whether the solutions found do or do not drawnourishment from those roots. The intellectual search for roots helps us study the social,ethical, technological and environmental premises which have generated and imposed aturning-point in history. This is essential if we are to seize the great opportunities whichthe historic moment offers to communities and individuals; and to reduce the risk thatthe future retreats because of a lack of “vision” on our part.

To this end, the method used by President Clinton and his Vice-President Al Gore in the1990s for the whole duration of their two Presidential mandates was very impressive. TheAmericans have always be accustomed to proclaiming the reasons of their nationalstrategies, but Clinton and Al Gore went one step further. They always prefaced everynew Government document about the development of the Information Society with asummary of the initial strategy of 1993, so that everyone could steer developments in thedirection of the common good. It was not only an example of “pioneering”, but also anexample of intelligence and consistency.

It is not true that the Americans want to use their products and service to subjugateforeign markets. Those products are essentially aimed at ensuring growth in their owncountry, for which they have a deep love because they still live according to theprinciples and sacrifices on which they have created it to be a strong and courageouscountry. They plan and then put their plans into action, first of all for their neighbour,turning even ketchup, for example, into a banner; then with the self-same passion fordoing business – “business first!” is the catch-cry – they try to export it, in order to makemoney but also to get us to share in their prosperity.


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So much so that when the liberty of other nations is in danger, even if far away, they “goto war”, even though they know the terrible consequences. Are they then better, or worse,than us? No – they are different.

And “difference” is always to be respected, even though it deserves this right to be respectedonly if it too is respectful of others. This is the lesson to be learned: respect; apparentlyeasy, but difficult to put into practice. Faced with difference, the search for compromises

is almost impossible.The only hope for mutual benefits is to look for synergies.

The Information Society was being born, absolutely simultaneously, on both sides of theAtlantic. In the USA, which has the leadership in Information Technology, the InformationSociety was being born in order to sustain the economy, through the production andcommercialisation of immaterial goods (information, knowledge, entertainment,exchange of immaterial products/services). In Europe, it arose to counter the spectre ofwidespread unemployment, due in part precisely to these new technologies. For both ofthese two worlds, the trigger was technological development. In the USA, it enthusedspirits and minds, while in Europe it created social apprehensions (symbolically, one ofthe most discussed books in that period was 1984 by Orwell, a fine love story whichdenounced the pervasiveness of technologies as a potential risk for democracy and thefreedom of the individual). In reality, on both shores, the objectives match one another,because the Information Society is a world-wide mutation imposed by the evolution ofeconomic and social development, which at the same time aims to promote thatdevelopment. Technological development will serve the poor even more than the rich,because the Information Society needs investments in “immaterial goods” (much lesscostly than investments in “material goods”) and because developing countries havegreat intellectual resources and are more open to innovation.

The great economic and social challenges, which all countries must face to achievesustainable growth, require that the European Union and the USA look for and

immediately implement all possible synergies. The intellectual honesty of the two worldsis beyond question; yet the synergies are slow to emerge.

It becomes imperative to face up to the fact that we are here faced with profoundly

different cultures, and it is not conceivable to think up identical solutions. But this doesnot mean that we must accept a divide, a social split between the two western worlds.On the contrary, it is in the interest of every country, while operating for the success ofits own land, to share the objectives of another, opening itself up to every possibletechnological, intellectual and social exchange. In the first place, each country mustrecognise that international scientific research carried out in the 1990s under the aegis ofthe UNO has shown that people’s expectations catalyse around some essential,

common, shared desires, at all latitudes and longitudes. All those who have activelyparticipated in this research know that the scientific studies, if carried out in sufficientdepth, lead to the same results, or, to be more precise, to the same expectations: theintimate desires of people to protect their own quality of life.

Europe has shown that it knows how to import technology. But it cannot continue to doso, if this technology does not meet the social challenges and does not offer solutionsadapted to individual countries and districts. At the moment, world development needsthe United States and Europe to collaborate actively to prepare a new culture based both

on social “quality” and on technological “quantity”, capable of facing the challenges of


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the third millennium by demanding a democracy which is able to dialogue with those

who are far away and those who are different. With “reciprocal exchange” the synergiesemerge, and are a help, even in the presence of inevitable difference.

The sections which follow are dedicated to some important international experiences,which offer a stimulus to reflect on the development of central and local PublicAdministration, which is entrusted with the mission of contributing to growth in its ownarea, finding solutions for the economic and social challenges it faces.

2.2 The Public Administration for the “System Country”

System: Country (a Country as System) is a universally accepted concept which is a basicrequirement for well-functioning public services, a healthy and productive economy, acompetitive industry, research able to produce innovation, a respectable level ofemployment, an adequate level of average education of its people, a culture of mutualrespect – i.e. a country’s overall capacity to meet the challenges of our time. EverySystem Country has its own its own quality level, measured in two ways: by thesatisfaction of its citizens and by the criterion against which there is no appeal, itseconomic performance. It is a System in continual evolution, which proceeds by smallsteps: every one of its components feeds into the System continual stimuli for change,altering the balance and the quality. Great changes are rare, and are due to situations ofgreat discontinuity, to real world mutations (socio-economic, political, technological,etc.). On such occasions, each country has great opportunities (to improve its objectivequality, to assume a new international role, to launch new job-creation schemes), butalso great risks (leaving the decision-making and social schemes unchanged, depressingindustry and employment, dropping down the international economic league). The truediscontinuity, today only in the dawning phase, but which will characterise the nextperiod of history, consists in two emerging synergies:

1) the great progress in telecommunications technology;

2) the idea that information know-how is more important than the particular pieces of

information themselves.

The Public Administration in Italy, conscious of the importance of the subject, is becominga mouthpiece and guide for change, with the Cities renewed by ICT, and with Ministriesthat are consciously entering into a common commitment to reconfigure the State.

2.3 The Megaride 94 Charter

“Megaride” is the name of the tiny Neapolitan island on which the Castel dell’Ovo standsas a landmark. The name of the island was given to the Megaride 94 Charter:The Charter

for Urban Planning in the 21st Century. The Megaride 94 Charter was made possible bythe working group “Technological Innovations and Territorial Transformations for the Cityof the 21st Century”, founded in 1986 by Professor Corrado Beguinot (Director of theDepartment of Territorial Planning and Science of the “Federico II” University of Naples)and coordinated by him. Close collaboration with Professor Beguinot has enabled usever since then to experience exciting European and world scientific research in thesocial field. This is another sign confirming yet again Europe’s predisposition to exercise

intercontinental leadership.


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The writers and supporters of the Megaride 94 Charter hold that the City of the future isnot built only “with things and houses" but above all with the new behaviour patterns ofits users.

The ten principles of the Megaride Charter are directed therefore not only at urbanplanners and experts in this sector but at all users of the City, and they refer toethical, social and political behaviours. The Megaride 94 Charter (which follows onfrom those of Athens 1933 and Machu Picchu 1977) is the Urban Planning Charter ofthe 21st century.

The ten principles of the Megaride Charter are set out here:

Founding Principles of the City of Peace and Science.

Naples, Isle of Megaride – Sunday, 29 May 1994

I – City and Nature

The equilibrium between urban environment and natural environment is the fundamental principle on which to base the model

of sustainable development for the city of the future.

II – City and Peoples

The city of the future must be interracial and permit a satisfactory quality of life to all its citizens, respecting differences between individual communities

and the cultural identity of the particular places.

III – City and Citizens

The city of the future must guarantee every citizen the widest possibility of access to places, services and information; it is a city in which every form of diversity must

find conditions adequate for its needs which can be freely expressed.

IV – City and Mobility

The system of mobility in the city of the future must favour collective transport; also, full freedom must be allowed for individual movement in all forms compatible

with the urban structure: first and foremost on foot and by bicycle.

V – City and Complexity

In the city of the future, the government of complexity must involve the whole urban system and every sub-system that is a part of it,

and must pay attention to the various scales of intervention regarding: the physical structure and rates, the way the city functions and is governed,

the architectural scale and the scale of the surrounding territory.

VI – City and Technology

ICT innovation in particular must target the improvement of delivery of urban services in the government of the city of the future.

VII – City and Renovation

Every new building proposal must first weigh up the alternative possibility of carryingout functional renovation work in order to reuse what already exists,

respecting the original character of the site concerned.


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VIII – City and Safety

Planning strategies must reduce urban vulnerability, overcome physical constraints,guarantee access and egress. All categories of users must be guaranteed the ability

to reach, pass through, leave, and thus share the city.

IX – City and Beauty

The New Architecture must create products capable of going beyond mere functionalefficiency. It must contribute to creating a beautiful city which, interpreting and

enhancing all the expressive forms of humankind, does not only satisfy material needs,but also reflects the inner world of its inhabitants.

X – City and Time

The city of the 21st century, a cabled city, a city of peace, a city of science, must be the expression of the urban history and culture which have built up in it over time.

2.4 The “Telematic Piazzas in Europe” Project (1993-2003)

In the international arena during the first half of the 1990s, some in-depth social studiesdeveloped and produced the first development models for the Information Society, fullyin accordance with the concepts that had been expressed by the European Community.The model “Piazze Telematiche” [Telematic Piazzas], conceived and developed by theTechnical Scientific Association of the same name, fitted both the theoretical scheme ofthe White Paper and the studies carried out on the City of the 21st century in the contextof the UNO. It is in fact an infrastructure proposal for the implementation of theInformation Society, with a promise of profound social, employment and quality-of-lifebenefits.

Information and communications technology, as well as putting people in touch with

information, also puts the citizen in touch with Institutions; and the Public

Administration becomes the interpreter and the creator of the development of the

country, because, without the cooperation of the public and the private sectors, the newSociety could not be built. A large-scale seminar, held in Milan in 1995, gave internationalvisibility to this subject of such vast scope, that touches on the deepest levels of therelationship between the citizen and the Public Administration, those levels indeed whichare not only a question of “relationship”, but which involve the potential and aspirationsof the individual in the sphere of freedom and employment. There follows here asummary of some of the aspects discussed at this event.

For years we have been seeing a reduction in the number of jobs throughout the world.It is unfortunately a structural phenomenon that cannot be avoided. The new hopes forjob-creation are placed in the Services Society, launched by the G7 in 1994 in Naples withthe name of the Global Information Society. ICT is our hope to increase employmentlevels and improve the social structure. The public imagination has already been struckby this. People “feel” that this is the right choice. They sense some advantagesreverberating from it, and are in approval. There exists however a risk of delays. Whatproduces the risks is the out-of-date cultural matrix, wherever it positions itself: in thesocial, political, wealthy, intellectual or other layers of society. We can only think of

entering into a new era of progress if we shatter these layers with a strong vision: thisis the deep ethical meaning of the directions taken in the Delors White Paper and by theUnited Nations. Without guiding principles there would be no hope of entering the new


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Services Society. But the proposal of new guiding principles must be thought throughand universal. It must be owned by the people, it must coincide with their general desiresand expectations, it must banish the spectres of intimate and interpersonal isolation.

On the basis of these concepts the metaphor of Telematic Piazzas was presented to thepublic:

• people’s expectations (reversed pyramids, suspended in the sky, containing writtenon their sides the urban planning principles sanctioned by the Megaride Charter);

• the “telematic space” (computers linked up to national and international networks);• the “social space” (multidisciplinary encounters);• the possible use of abandoned urban spaces.

In detail, the project/proposal concerned:

• public interactive multimedia ICT literacy;• the “social space” where people meet up and compare ideas, and where an

interdisciplinary approach becomes the source of new jobs and new products;• the point of reference for the most advanced ICT uses;• an antidote to ICT boredom/isolation;• social integration;• dialogue with the Institutions, and ICT democracy;• commercial and cultural promotion of the city and its districts;• places and routes through the city;• non-profit work and distance work;• education, entertainment etc.

2.5 Habitat II (1996)

Habitat II, City Summit of the United Nations on the City of the 21st century, was heldin Istanbul in June 1996. The event was the culmination of years of intense internationalactivity on the subject, and brought together the Governments of 128 countries,Government organisations (GOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). TheUNO’s invitation was to debate how to make all the small and large cities of the worldhealthy, safe, just, and sustainable. The official objectives were:

a) to promote global and national awareness of the positive role of the cities;b) to improve living environments;c) to adopt and implement a global plan of action, in support of national plans.

The final recommendations of the United Nations, on the basis of the proposals putforward by the different countries, referred to democracy and quality of life, makingexplicit reference also to the use of ICT for the multimedia education of citizens (aimingat using information highways to the full) and recommending the avoidance of everypossible form of oligarchy controlling information.

We were present at Habitat II at the invitation of the Italian Government, in order topresent the solution/project “Telematic Piazzas”. Posters were put up and thousands ofinformation brochures were handed out. There follows a report on some of the ideasexpressed at the event.


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The working session dedicated to telecommunications took as its theme “Cities,

Communications and Media in the 21st Century”. It was demonstrated that the world ischanging rapidly and that anyone lagging behind is in danger of being left out altogether;that the liberalisation of technologies leads to globalisation and the risk of increasinguniformity: and that only a new kind of ICT, put at the disposal of the citizens in a trulyrational and democratic way can guarantee human settlements an appropriate andlasting evolution. It is necessary to avoid a situation in which the public wonders: Is thismy culture? Is this me? It is necessary to emphasise the unique identity of the individual,if we wish to have a free Society.

The Assembly resolved on some fundamental principles in terms of communications:3 non-discriminatory access;3 regulated politics and practices;3 full respect of ethical principles and ideas.

2.6 World Habitat Days (1998)

The “World Days on the Habitat in an Era of Transition”, organised by Professor CorradoBeguinot with the UNCHS (United Nations Centre for Human Settlements), were held asa video-conference, managed from Naples, in February of 1998. They were a testimonyonce again to Italian leadership on the subject of urban planning. The scientific event wasaccompanied by a technological event, also on a planetary scale: from three in theafternoon of Sunday the 22nd to three in the afternoon of Monday the 23rd, as many as16 foreign cities and 11 Italian ones were uninterruptedly linked in video-conference:New York, Buenos Aires, Warsaw, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Paris, Singapore, Brussels,Amsterdam, Barcelona, San Paolo, Madrid, Newcastle, Tokyo, Moscow and Jerusalem; inItaly, Milan, Turin, Genoa, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Bari, Cagliari , Palermo andNaples.

On the basis of the principles of the Megaride Charter, and taking as his starting point theresults of Habitat II, the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, ProfessorBeguinot presented an extremely significant world panorama on the problems andinitiatives in urban planning (“not for the city in itself” said the Rector of the University

of Navarre, “but for the quality of life”).

From Brussels, the DG XII of the European Union communicated that it had included theDevelopment of Cities in its Fifth Framework Programme, saying that technologies canmake a great contribution to such development, for quality of life, economic and socialbalance, and protection of the environment. Whoever is familiar with the studies of theUNO, with Professor Beguinot, or with the Associazione Piazze Telematiche, listened withgreat emotion to the suggestions from the European DG XII as to social integration,security, computer networks, (cultural) moveable and immoveable goods, renovation ofthe heritage of buildings. The Information Society appeared finally to have become agreat world movement.

The contribution from Moscow was concerned with practical solutions adopted in thatparticular city: people began meeting to share experiences and ideas, and so there grewup a number of pedestrian precincts and “piazzas”, also called “centres”, buildings wererenovated and converted to new uses, and opened up to the public to be used byeveryone. The speaker added that the Megaride Charter had had an important influence


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on this programme. If the City Administration or private enterprise had also broughtcomputer and telecommunications technology into those buildings, they would havefully deserved the title of Telematic Piazzas, in the sense of having ICT spaces and socialspaces overlapping.

From Naples, Professor Tessitore, Rector of the “Federico II” University, stated that it isnecessary to aim at closing the gap between the technology that is possible and thetechnology that is actually used. His contribution was rich in new ideas about thereduction of frictions, integration between the historic city and the city of the future, thedilemma between old spaces and new requirements, the slowness of decision-making inrelation to the rapid advance of innovation (“it is necessary to govern the changeintroduced by innovation by making use of the innovation itself”). He made a strikingproposal about “localised investment” in research and development; this in fact wasreminiscent of the European Glocal City, characterised by global vision and local action.

There was also a touch of polemic in relation to the UNCHS: to deal with humansettlements referring both to cities and to small villages may in fact introduce distortions:the real problem are the cities, where urban centralisation amplifies phenomena andrisks making the deteriorating squalor intolerable. With extreme lucidity, this speakerclosed his speech by declaring that the key indicator to evaluate urban conditions is“accessibility”: to services, to the territory, and to information (a subject which had beendebated by Local Administrations in Italy in 1997).

To sum up, with this World Congress Professor Beguinot launched three themes for allcountries to consider:1) the renovation of the habitat, to invert the tendency to let human settlements grow in

an uncontrolled manner;

2) correct use of the products of technological innovation, for the reorganisation andredesign of urban environments;

3) international cooperation as an indispensable requirement to construct the true Cityof the 21st century, defined as the City of Science, the City of Peace, the Digital andBeautiful City.


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“Transforming Government to Build trust and quality”

Renato Lucarini, Eurospace s.r.l., Italy

Patrizia Caiola, Studio Caiola, Italy

1. e-Government, e-Governance: the evolution starts again

Among the concepts which the world has been working on for years (so that they cansupport a new world social Renaissance, such as to make the development of the wholeplanet sustainable) are those which are outlined in this chapter and dealt with in greaterdepth in subsequent chapters. In particular, we wish to draw attention to a concept whichlogically precedes them. Given the decisive role of the Public Administration in the socialand economic development of the country, vision e-Government and vision e-Europe

cannot be separated one from the other. They are absolutely integrated, and correspond

to a vision of civil Society that is the bearer of values and benefits for all its segments.

This consideration on the coexistence and overlap of the two visions constitutes thenecessary premise for understanding the number of statements made over the lastmonths by a great number of public and private players about the interpretation of e-

Government.

One eminent scientific figure who divides his time between the public and the privatesector (in some way being an interpreter of both) as written that the concept of e-Government would be rendered at least as well by using the symbolic word i-

Government, in which the “i” stands for “innovation”. The point being that e-Governmentcannot be seen just as a new use of computer applications as understood in the past(even if optimised through the latest ICT developments). e-Government impliesinnovation tout court, innovation which designs parabolas of development capable of“creating a scandal”, both because of their unprecedented capacity to penetrate the socialfabric, and because they make a real break with the past (causing discontinuity and at thesame time filling up the gap with innovative new contents). e-Government is a new andcompletely apt concept, by means of which the Information Society can keep its promiseof bringing immense benefits.

A further symbolic word is introduced: h-Government, where the “h” stands for“human”. Scientific studies have shown that since the early 1990s the Information

Society is produced by people for people: the benefits that derive to the community fromit would have no sense if they were not first of all benefits for individual people. Thecollective imagination has already made this concept its own: the Information Societytouches the private, intimate sphere, bringing the hope of extending a person’sknowledge, but also of breaking down the barriers of interpersonal isolation. This is aforetaste of the demolition of social barriers, of democratic participation, and of aneconomic and social development that does not offload its problems of sustainabilityonto future generations.

The considerations we have expressed hitherto are those that underpin a Society which,thanks to ICT, aims at a knowledge that is every more universal and ever more accessible

to the individual. And, since knowledge is the basis of growth and power, this should


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inevitably lead to an increase in national and local democracy, in social cohesion, and inthe quality of life for individual citizens.

In this clear vision, the different symbolic expressions (e-Government, i-Government, h-Government, etc.) will not end up confusing people’s ideas; the Information Society (orKnowledge Society) has clear roots, which spring from the individual (from his or herneed for social, intellectual and ethical growth), and which are directed towards the

individual, even when they seem to be directed principally towards national economicgrowth (as has happened, for example, in the United States).

Similar considerations apply to the words used to symbolise the specific role of thePublic Administration in the Information Society. In Europe we have spoken of “re-

engineering the administrative processes” of the Public Administration; and that wasunderstood correctly. In the United States on the other hand the term “re-inventing

Government” has been used, and this was understood equally well. After that, on thewave of the economic aspect of ICT defined as e-Commerce and e-Business, the term e-

Government was introduced, which has seized the world collective imagination and hasbeen in use for some years now.

Some important Bodies (as we have read in the introduction prepared for this Volume bythe Council of Europe) today introduce the symbolic term e-Governance. It is not possiblehowever to identify immediately a clear difference between the two terms; indeed, thisword “governance” tends to confuse our ideas. Yes! – because the ideas are now clear.And it is necessary for the language to be understood by everyone: by Europeans, sothat it is easy to find the common path; by those outside Europe, in order to encouragemutual communication and trade.

Beyond the various possible words used (words which always end up undergoing somevariation), it is important for Europe to safeguard its interests, concentrating on theconceptual content of the objective it aims to reach; i.e. a way of governing that is ableto identify the social objectives for the good of its citizens, and the technologicalmeasures to bring about the consequential innovation in public services.

e-Government, e-Governance and any other future expressions applied to the PublicAdministration, even if they sound different, must appeal to our intelligence as beingidentical: all of them are acceptable, and all are harbingers of innovation and quality.

1.1 The Volume

This Volume is the continuation – reviewed and improved - of the one realized in the nowdistant year of 1995 (1st edition), at specific initiative of Renato Lucarini, and othercollaborators, to provide the ICT market with some basic awareness about studies beingcarried out in Europe and in the world about the Information Society. Why did we judge

these studies to be so important? Because these studies, the product of a handful ofenthusiastic scientists and sociologists scattered through the world, had alreadyprovided a picture in all its details of the fundamental characteristics of the new era:

1. the promise of great benefits, and the expectations of the general public, who, in allthe research carried out, had clearly expressed their aspirations for economic

development and quality of life;


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2. the “dawn” of the new Information Society, which, like every form of dawningawareness (such as falling in love), is carried along on a wave of enthusiasm anddetermination to continue, but which also requires the complete commitment of theintellect and the decision to plan a new life;

3. the decisive function of the “collective imagination”, which is able to inspire thepublic, but which must regularly be fed with news and action plans which, even moreimportant than being convincing, must be absolutely transparent, ethicallyunimpeachable, and always aimed at achieving common objectives;

4. the “inhibitors” to overcome: that dangerous “return” or re-absorption of innovationwhich, acting on the psychology of both the individual and the public as a whole, hasthe power to stymie innovation and homogenise it with the past: everyone isconvinced that a new world is beginning, while in reality it is just a modification ofthe same old world. Already in 1995 the scientists listed the following among suchinhibitors:• ICT boredom;• ICT isolation;• the possible exclusion of individuals and of whole communities (for economic

reasons or the level of education);• disappointment at the failure to reach grand objectives quickly;• the lack of a clear, common and shared social plan;• the tendency for ICT products to offer strong returns on short term investments,

neglecting investments that really have the power to launch the future.

The Volume immediately opted to concentrate on hard information: it would report“facts” not “intentions”, “results” not “hopes”. It would only include writings fromCentral and Local Government Authorities, private Companies and Associations whichfrom year to year had demonstrated their spirit of service towards the country byparticipating in exhibitions in order to present the ICT services the offer to citizens, andto make available to visitors the administrative and technological culture of their officersand managers. This spirit of service carries with it a quite considerable cost; but ithonours the Public Service, and deserves full recognition from the country and the ICTmarket, for it never springs from a human desire to show off, but rather from a sense ofduty and respect towards the public, who in their turn greatly appreciate being informedabout the activities of Central and Local Government, and occasionally having the chanceto meet representatives for an exchange of views on shared objectives and socialstrategies.

The relationship with the public is a duty which cannot be avoided: its absence oftenindicates a lack of administrative achievements and adequate political directives. Indeed,the quality of an Administration, even before the success of its services to the public, is

to be measured in its capacity to engage with the public: innovation begins with

“commitment to be visible”, “information to the public” and maximum “respect”

towards them.

Through this hard, factual approach it is intended that this Volume will serve both toprotect the Administrations who are contributing to it and also the readers of the Volume,recipients of a committed and open message from those who dedicate their professionalskills to serving the community and developing services for the good of society.


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Just as important has been the choice of the formula to follow:• the Volume does not contain any advertising, because it aims to concentrate on

scientific values, in terms of technologies and social propositions;

• the Volume is distributed free of charge, both in order to be sure that it reaches itstarget readership, and to guarantee that the initiative has as its objectives the developmentof the economy and of quality of life, and is not a money-making venture;

• the balancing of the budget, from 1995 till now, has always been achieved throughcontributions/sponsorships from Public Administrations and ICT companies; this isdone to demonstrate clearly that it is in both the public and the private interest to backthe initiative, which has as its objectives both the improvement of the image of PublicAdministrations and the development of the ICT market in the public sector (besides,naturally, the associated objective of assisting the development of the country as awhole).

The frontispiece of the Volume shows some Public Administration logos, and this signalsthe relationship of close collaboration that has built up with the Public Administration inItaly and in many others European Countries. Collaborating with the Institutions themselves,we have been continuously monitoring the development of ICT in the public sector, andwe regularly feed it into the collective imagination through this annual publication.

The Council of Europe has given its “support”, which not only means we receive itsbacking, but emphasises the usefulness of the Volume’s contents in a Europeanperspective, for the Council gives its support precisely to those who plan and worktowards the success of Public Administration in the light of e-Europe.

1.2 The Volume’s Contents

Thanks to a process of gradually building communication and steadily increasingcredibility, through past editions, the Volume now involves includes the following:

1) European Institutions.

2) Administrations of various segments of the chain of Central and Local Government:• Central Administrations and Central State Bodies;• Government and controlling Authorities;• Regional Authorities and Regional Bodies;• Municipal Authorities and Municipal Bodies.

3) Private ICT companies that take part in public events and sponsor the Volume.

4) Multi-professional Associations of citizens, involved in scientific and socialdevelopments of the Information Society.

5) Bodies/businesses for the promotion of European research programmes.

Thanks to such a varied representation of administrative, political, technological,economic and social points of view, the Volume has for many years now reflected theprogress achieved in Italy and in Europe in terms of:


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a) innovative measures for e-Government put in place by Central and Local PublicAdministrations;

b) state of progress of national and international e-Government strategies;

c) state of progress of intersector collaboration, understood as an essential element inthe creation of measures and services of great national importance, capable ofcreating social cohesion and democracy;

d) innovative solutions introduced by Local Public Administrations to promote forms ofe-Europe:• widespread multimedia and ICT literacy for citizens;• development of local commerce and handicrafts;• job-creation;• improvement in quality of life;• e-Democracy;• integration of minorities;

e) IT directives and strategies coordinated by the Council of Europe and by the

European Commission;

f) global Information Society and European approach: expectations of economicbenefits and quality of life.

The effectiveness and quality of the services of the Public Administration are the

foundation on which the development of System Italy rests, in economic, employment

and quality-of-life terms.

Unfortunately, a vision of administrative responsibilities still prevails that is centred onindividual Administrations and on the powers/responsibilities institutionally assigned tothem: and the individual Administration, local or central, tends to behave as an entity initself, rightly proud and jealous of its tasks and its prerogatives, and reluctant to makeway for inter-administrative, intersector forms of cooperation.

ICT technologies, through the setting up of a Network of Networks, are helping toovercome these administrative barriers, introducing the added value of “cooperation

between institutions”: the task of managers and employees in the public service isbecoming that of “reorganising by focussing on objectives”, without setting up opposinginterests, but combining them. To proceed down this path, it is necessary to ensure thatthe analysis has quality: what is needed first of all are “investments in knowledge”, sothat the chief players in the country or district can together decide to “interact and share”(to ensure the respect of all services and all responsibilities).

What we have seen hitherto paints an overall picture that is exceptionally homogeneous,from the point of view of the objectives and intentions of the chief players, but also fromthe point of view of the technological architectures and measures to adopt, with theindispensable synergy between administrative innovation and technological innovation.In a logic based on the pairing of public/private: meaning that the two componentsshould act in synergy, and that for this to happen there must be close cooperationbetween them.


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Thus, through the articles prepared by those Administrative leaders that have thepersonal responsibility of designing and implementing innovation and development, the

Volume presents, from year to year, some important ICT measures adopted by the Public

Administration in terms of services offered to citizens. These measures increasingly takethe form of “intersector measures”: based on cooperation (technological andorganisational) between Central Administrations and Local Administrations belonging todifferent “sectors” of the public chain.

The different areas of the country are characterised by a different capacity to respond tocitizens’ expectations. Today however, two converging challenges impose the need for astandardised practice: the challenge of employment and the challenge of the European

economy. These demand a new unified approach, consisting of integrated andhomogeneous services over the whole country, devolving to Regions and LocalAuthorities important new structural and infrastructural tasks aimed at socialdevelopment. Central and Local Administrations are becoming aware of the greatimportance of “socio-economic cohesion”, not only within the confines of the territoryentrusted to them, but also by each district in relation to neighbouring communities andthe national community as a whole. Indeed the negative consequences of weak socialcohesion would be extremely serious, starting with a growing economic and culturalmarginalisation, and a state of malaise and isolation of various communities vis-à-vis theAdministration and System Italy. Even before public services, the public needs channelsof communication, and every possible opportunity to socialise. The Council of Europeand the Member Countries devote great attention to these aspects of “e-Democracy”.

1.3 e-Governance:Transforming Government to build trust and quality

E-government is more than just simply re-modernising administrative bureaucracy. Itmeans a permanent digital transformation which opens new horizons for improvedgovernability.

The term “governance” embraces all governing roles: juridical, legislative andadministrative, creating an important tool aimed at developing collaboration. Morespecifically, “digital participation” leads to the involvement of groups of individuals atthe centre of the democratic process, creating an intellectual enrichment through theacquisition of new IT knowledge.

E-government can effectively be the most efficient tool to allow citizens to have easyaccess to information through their effective participation.It represents a leap in quality,both cultural and human, upon which the full affirmation of e-Government rests, a meansto improve the efficiency and the economics of services to citizens and to firms, leadingto real competitiveness in the Country System. Therefore action is vital both on the sideof the e-Government, so that all public officials fully understand the potential ofdigitalisation, as well as on the demand side, so that citizens and firms can takeadvantage of the simplifications and of the benefits, also at an economic level,introduced by e-Government.

The state is expected to provide cheap high-quality services, in an ever-increasing effortto invest in e-Government activities. On the one hand, legal and administrativehindrances must be removed, in order to create the necessary conditions under which areal “information society” can exist. On the other hand, the public sector must succeed


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in performing its functions by means of the new technologies, in order to achieve athorough interaction with citizens and businesses. Quality, availability, integrity,confidentiality and security of information for citizens and businesses are the key factorsof our strategy.

The e-Government must essentially aim to simplify and speed up procedures betweencitizens and public administration, as well as internal processes involving both the publicand private sectors.

The European Commission defines the e-Government as “the use of ICTs in publicadministration, adjusted to organisational changes and new skills”, aimed at improvingpublic services and democratic processes, as well as at supporting public policies. It istherefore a principle transcending the mere on-line dimension, and also involving thecapacity for transforming the interaction between technology and its components –governments, citizens, and businesses.

The use of ICTs enables us to be local and global at the same time, thus realising a real“Global Information Society”, that is to say a society in which everyone is entitled toreceive, create, share and use quality information for one’s social, cultural, economic andpolitical development. In perspective of an “Information Society”, the e-Government ispromoted as a tool for the modernisation of the public sector.

Improvements can be obtained through several processes: a) assessing the maturity of e-Transforming;b) selecting effective practical projects as model cases;c) organisational learning and mechanisms for skill transfer;d) establishing bases for defining feasibility;e) developing policies and plans of action for the e-Government;f) developing ideas for the future.

Although some of us have already been living and working in a computerisedenvironment, priority must be given to the achievement and development of acomputerised society for everyone. But the use of Government services requires a “basiclearning of administration”, including, among other things, knowledge and skills relatedto government activities and to services aimed at those who are not able to useinformation technologies because of a real lack of technological literature.

The objective is then to diffuse electronic performances, in order to acquire adequateknowledge and ability requirements, as well as technical skills, and once the obstacle toinclusion has been reduced, an ever-increasing number of people will be able to useinnovative technologies. The services provided must be simple, and – as citizens have nofrequent contacts with the public administration, and, for example, certain kinds ofcertificates are asked for just once in a year – it is absolutely essential to find an accesskey, with adequate tools, providing an easy and frequent Internet connection, thusenabling the introduction of a mechanism which could be permanently implemented inthe operational system of the country.

New tools, such as digital signature, electronic mailing of documents, can be also usedby the private sector. The on-line service for tax payment, the electronic register ofcompanies and lands, the central register of residencies, are just a few of the possible


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applications of e-Government. For this reason, some projects have been finalised,aiming to provide information about Internet and media opportunities, improve andencourage the access to the Internet, promote the “PC phobia” campaign in order toovercome the fear of Internet approaching, and promote the Internet for everybody.

Nowadays, most of the communications between citizens, businesses andadministrations have to be electronically provided, in all the three levels ofadministration: Government, regions and municipalities.

Our purpose is to use new technologies in order to reform public services and improveinternal infrastructures. Access to technologies must be rendered easy and cheap foreverybody, because technologies help to obtain quality and reliability not only inGovernment services, but also in interactions involving the entire community, both onpublic and private level.

Citizens expect the Government to guarantee transparency, guidance, flexibility,willingness to change rapidly and adjust to the needs of every single person. There is astrong demand for innovating services, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Politicians have to be constantly informed about technologies that citizens use every day,but the point is: “Does technology need to be advanced, in order to be effective?” Theanswer is “No, because the simplest technology can sometimes work better”. Citizensdemand the highest quality at the lowest cost. Governments, as far as they areconcerned, try to meet the needs of electors, continuing to reform both the distributionof services and their internal procedures.

The Government must provide services to its citizens-clients guaranteeing faster anduser friendly services, more transparency, and less bureaucracy.

In April 2006, the European Commission adopted a new pathway in the framework of theInformation Society strategy, called “2010 e-Government Action Plan”. Its prioritiesinclude: none of the citizens should stay behind as regards technological learning;promoting effectiveness and efficaciousness; implementing high-impact services forcitizens and businesses; providing citizens and businesses, by 2010, with a practical andsafe access to public services, which can be everywhere available in Europe. The mainobjective of “2010 e-Government Action Plan” is to definitely simplify relations betweencitizens and businesses and administration, aiming to convert, by 2012, all writtencommunications between citizens, businesses and public sector into electronic communications.

Our intention is to rapidly render administration easily accessible to everybody, in aservice-oriented approach. Users need to find rapidly and safely the information theylook for, by means of user-friendly and cheap tools enabling everyone to easily accessthe Internet. Such goal is achievable thanks to some tools of daily use: telephone and TVcan be useful to this purpose and meet the requirements of the whole population.

In the span of a decade or so, mobile telephones have become commonplace. In Norway,services provided by telephone companies include the possibility of receivinginformation about bus or train schedules, or even doing the check-in of one’s flight onone’s mobile phone. The decision to use mobile phone system for mobile Governmentcan be explained by the fact that it is so familiar to everybody.


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Mobile Government concerns the use of mobile networks in order to provide publicservices and improve the effectiveness of bureaucratic procedures. It is considered as themost advanced solution as regards communications between the public administrationand citizens. Citizens can use mobile phones to ask for certificates, documents,information, to be informed in case of disasters or emergencies, or to be warned aboutdeadlines or law changes.

Therefore, in an international scenario, the public administration could evolve in aprocess of renewal, providing quality services including:• digital access: providing high-speed access to the Internet for everybody;• universal design: all technological ICT solutions in the public administration are

based on universal design;• digital skills: enabling everybody, even the elderly, to develop such skills.

In conclusion, the e-Government must be an integrate system providing services forcitizens, businesses and Government, fully utilising the new Information andCommunication Technologies, with an holistic and multidisciplinary approachstrengthening European and international research in the e-Government area, in order tocontribute to the advancement in this field, and to promote a more intensive dialoguebetween key actors.

This Volume is intended to play an active role in this international knowledge sharing andexchange, offering to everyone the possibility to benefit from past and presentexperiences, developments and changes in the use of advanced informationtechnologies and telecommunications.


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Documents

04 sponsor + concl - Joinup · Developed by LAit (), Relab is designed to provide Lazio audiovisual companies with an access point to infrastructures and grid computing services –