Strategies for Local Electronic Governance

Strategies for Local

Electronic Governance

Foundations, Cases and Success factorsFoundations, Cases and Success factors

Adegboyega Ojo, Research Fellow

Center for Electronic Governance

United Nations University - IIST

[email protected]

IDENTITY Dual - University and UN

ESTABLISHED 1972

MISSION To contribute – through collaborative research,

teaching, capacity development and advisory

services – to efforts aimed at resolving the

pressing global problems of sustainable human

security, development and welfare that are the

UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY

1-3 DECEMBER 2010, SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA- 2UNPOG - CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON LOCAL E-GOVERNMENT

security, development and welfare that are the

concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and

Member States.

AIMS 1. Advancement of knowledge relevant to the

role and work of the United Nations

2. Application of that knowledge in

formulating sound principles, policies,

strategies and programmes for action

LOCATION Worldwide, with headquarters in Tokyo

UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY NETWORK

INSTITUTES

UNU-CRIS Regional Integration Belgium

UNU-EHS Environment and Human Security Germany

UNU-IAS Sustainable Development Japan

UNU-IIGH Global Health Malaysia

UNU-IIST ICT for Sustainable Development Macao SAR, China

UNU-INRA Natural Resources Management Ghana


UNU-INRA Natural Resources Management Ghana

UNU-INWEH Water, Environment and Health Canada

UNU-ISP Sustainability and peace Japan

UNU-MERIT Socio-Eco. Impacts of Technologies Netherlands

UNU-WIDER Development Economics Finland

PROGRAMS

UNU-BIOLAC Biotechnology and Society Venezuela

UNU-FNP Food and Nutrition Capacity USA

UNU-FTP Fisheries Training Iceland

UNU-GTP Geothermal Training Iceland

UNU-LRT Land Restoration Iceland

UNW-DPC Water Capacity Development Germany

CENTER FOR ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE

IDENTITY

Center of Excellence on

Electronic Governance research

and practice, part of UNU-IIST.

MISSION

Supporting governments, universities

and the UN in strategic use of ICT to

enable good governance and

sustainable development.


ACTIVITIES

Conduct research, provide policy support to governments and the UN system, develop educational

programmes, and build capacity of universities and governments to better understand how SD

objectives impact EGOV programmes and how to evolve EGOV4SD solutions.

There are many reasons for the increasing prominence of local government,

local governance and consequently local e-governance, including:

1) Centrality of decentralization to government reform programs, which

involves devolution of more powers to local or assumption of more

responsibilities in the context of deconcentration.

2) Participation is central to good governance and an important factor for

LOCAL ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE - WHY?


sustainable development1. E-Participation is also now accepted as core

aspect of Electronic Governance. However, local authorities are closest to

citizens and thus in a better position to effectively drive participation.

3) Increasing demand for public value from Electronic Governance

programmes (EGOV4What?) is creating stronger linkages between e-

governance and Development via good governance.

o From an ICT4D perspective, all municipalities can adopt effective e-

governance for social and local economic development2

Ascendancy of Local

Governance

Ref: 1UNDP, User’s Guide to Measuring Local Governance, UNDP Oslo Governance Center, 2Abrahams L & Newton-Reid L., E-Governance

for Social and local economic development, LINK Policy research paper, no. 9, Nov. 2008;

Our goal is to seek answers to the following questions:

1) What do we understand by Local Electronic Governance (Local EGOV)and how does traditional

central level electronic governance (EGOV) differs from Local EGOV?

2) What are the core requirements that any effective Local EGOV strategies must seek to address?

3) What good practice examples of Local EGOV programs are available and how can local governments

OBJECTIVES


3) What good practice examples of Local EGOV programs are available and how can local governments

learn from these examples?

4) What are the critical success factors for a Local EGOV program?

5) *How can local governments develop their own Local EGOV strategies ?

OUTLINE

1. Foundational Concepts

2. E-Governance Strategy Models

3. Local E-Governance Strategies



4. Best Practices in Local E-Governance

5. Summary and conclusions

The goal of this section is explore the

meaning of Local Electronic Governance

and Local Electronic Governance Strategy,

by defining and relating the following

concepts:

1) Governance

2) Local Governance

CONCEPTUALIZING LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE

Governance

E-Governance Local Governance


2) Local Governance

3) Electronic Governance

4) Local Electronic Governance

5) Strategy

6) Electronic Governance Strategy

7) Local Electronic Governance strategy

Local

E-GovernanceStrategy

E-Gov StrategyLocal E-Gov

Strategy

CONCEPT 1 - GOVERNANCE

Governance is the means through which government – an institution of the state; acts to perform its

functions, and interact with various actors in the society1. Its activities include2,3: representation and

regulation of societal actors and delivery of public services and policy-making.

Governance activities1:

o determining shared objectives,

o influencing motivations,

Emerging Governance Paradigm2,3:

o Redistribution of powers hitherto

concentrated within government


o influencing motivations,

o allocating responsibilities and resources,

o monitoring compliance,

o imposing penalties,

o organizing negotiations,

o setting standards, and

o resolving conflicts and disputes

concentrated within government

o Enhanced mechanisms for government-wide

coordination in policy and info exchange;

o Stronger regulation due to participation of

non-state actors in service and policy

delivery; and

o Allowing citizens to express their collective

voice and pursue action.

Ref: 1Kemp, Rene and Gibson, Robert. Governance for Sustainable development: moving from theory to practice. International Journal of

Sustainable Development, 8, 1/2 (2005), 12-30. 2Coleman, Stephen. Foundations of Digital Government. In Chen, Hsinchun et al., eds.,

Digital Government: E-Government Research, Case and Implementation. Springer, 2008. 3Finger, Matthias. Conceptualizing e-Governance.

European Review of Political technologies, 1 (March 2005), 1-7.

CONCEPT 2 - LOCAL GOVERNANCE - DEFINITION

First, we link the concept of Local Governance to that of Local Government - an entity created by state

with a set of administrative authorities over a territorial space1.

Local Government:

A legal entity of the state with devolved or de-

concentrated powers or authorities granted by

Local Governance

Comprises of state and non-state institutions,

mechanisms and processes, through which2:


concentrated powers or authorities granted by

a higher level government.

Nature of LGs vary with countries …

o US - counties, cities, town, township,

school districts, etc.

o Malaysia - city council, municipal Council,

Town Council, Town Board, Rural District

Council, and Local Council

mechanisms and processes, through which2:

1) Public goods and services are delivered to

citizens and

2) Citizens can articulate their interest and

needs, mediate their differences and

exercise their rights and obligations

at the local government level.

Ref:1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government, 2UNDP, A User’s Guide to Measuring Local Governance, UNDP Oslo Gov Center

Attributes of Good Local Governance include1:

1) Quality, effectiveness and efficiency of local administration and public service delivery

2) Quality of public policy and decision making procedures, their inclusiveness, their transparency and

their accountability

3) Good exercise of power at the local level

CONCEPT 2 - LOCAL GOVERNANCE – ATTRIBUTES

International IDEA Democracy at Local Level Local Governance Barometer


o Representative democracy – Equality, Equity

o Participatory democracy – openness, fairness, transparency,

responsiveness, accountability

o Effectiveness

o Transparency and rule of law

o Accountability

o Participation and civic engagement

o Equity

Good Governance for Local Development UN-HABITAT Urban Governance Index

o Representation

o Participation

o Accountability

o Transparency

o Effectiveness

o Security

o Equity

o Effectiveness

o Equity

o Participation

o Accountability

Ref:1UNDP, A User’s Guide to Measuring Local Governance, UNDP Oslo Gov Center

CONCEPT 3 - ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE

E-Governance includes:

o delivering public services

over e-channels,

o ICT-enabled participation

Related definitions3:

E-Government is the is the

use of ICT particularly the

internet as a tool to achieve

Note:

1) E-Governance is a

broader concept than

Electronic Governance entails strategic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to

enable, support and transform governance activities to achieve desired good governance objectives.


o ICT-enabled participation

of social actors in decision

and policy making through

ICT, and

o using ICT to regulate the

activities of actors

o generation and circulation

of official information in

digital forms to reduce

information asymmetry

internet as a tool to achieve

better government.

E-Government =

ICT-enabled service delivery

E-Governance =

E-Government +

E-Participation (or E-

democracy)

(and not interchangeable

with) e-government.

2) Support for the principles

of good public

governance should be

the desired outcome of

e-governance initiatives.

Ref:2Coleman, Stephen. Foundations of Digital Government, Digital Gov: E-Government Research, Case and Implementation. Springer,

2008. 3Finger, Matthias. Conceptualizing e-Governance. European Review of Political technologies, 1 (March 2005), 1-7., 3OECD

CONCEPT 4 – LOCAL ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE

The transformational use of ICT, including the internet to achieve local good governance objectives.

Use and integration of ICT at local levels of

government is expected to1:

o Enhance social and economic development by

empowering officials and community reps

Observation:

Local E-Governance is seen as an ICT4D initiative

at a local level. Consequently, it’s effective


empowering officials and community reps

o Ensuring linkages, networking and community

cohesion

o Providing timely, efficient, transparent and

accountable services

o Improving the management of the services

and operations

o Facilitating planning and policy making process

o Monitoring physical and social changes

implementation is expected to impact directly on

social and local development2.

Ref: 1 G. Misuraca, E-Governance in Africa from Theory to Action – A Handbook on ICTs for Local Governance, IDRC, 2007, 2Abrahams L &

Newton-Reid L., E-Governance for Social and local economic development, LINK Policy research paper, no. 9, Nov. 2008;

CONCEPT 5 - STRATEGY

There are different schools of thought on the notion of a strategy. Its conceptualization largely

determines its contents and how it will be developed and implemented.

Leading perspectives on the concept of strategy1:

1) Means of establishing organizational purpose

– in terms of long term goals and resource

allocation

Definition

A strategy is a coherent and integrative pattern

of decision that determines and reveals the

organizational purpose in terms of long-term


2) Definition of the competitive domain of an

organization – what should be the business

3) Coherent unifying and integrative blueprint

of an organization as a whole

4) Response to opportunities and threats, and

internal strengths and weaknesses

5) Central vehicle for achieving competitive

advantage – Porter’s positioning principles

organizational purpose in terms of long-term

objectives, action programs and resource

allocation priorities.

Ref: 1 Hax, Arnold C. and Majluf, S. Nicolas. Strategy and the Strategy Formation Process. Working Paper WP# 1810-86, Sloan School of

Management, MIT, 1986, 2Mintzberg, Henry. The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning. Prentice Hall Financial Times, Harlow Essex, 1994

Process

Realized Strategy as

product of Deliberate

and Emergent Strategy2

CONCEPT 6 - ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE STRATEGY

An E-Governance strategy specifies the contextual meaning of e-governance for a government, the long-

term objectives and the necessary supporting set of actions on how ICT could be used to enable and

support the transformation of the government towards effective and good governance.

Traditional strategic perspective to address:

1) Providing quality services to citizens and

business and engage them in decision making

2) Significantly improving the efficiency of

Reasons for an explicit e-Governance Strategy1:

1) Creating the right policy and institutional

framework from the start

2) Maximizing the use of ICT within government


2) Significantly improving the efficiency of

internal operations supporting services

3) Optimizing the use of financial resources and

sustain the program through a sound

business model

4) Instituting continuous learning and

improvement for the resulting program

5) Ensuring that resulting program contribute to

the overall organizational mission

2) Maximizing the use of ICT within government

3) Managing the increasing costs of ICT in

government

4) Mapping path from pilot experiments to

sustainable, scalable systems

5) Pursuing real economic development goals

and not just technology

Ref: 1 Deepak Bhatia, ISG Group WB

CONCEPT 7 - LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGY

Local E-Governance strategy specifies what e-governance really means in the a specific local

government context, the long-term objectives and a coherent set of actions on how ICT could be used

to enable and support the achievement of local good, self and democratic governance.


In addition to addressing the five strategic areas identified for traditional e-governance strategies, a local

e-governance strategy is to explicitly indicate how it will support social and economic development of

the inhabitants and the territory as a whole.

OUTLINE








Electronic government strategies, particularly at the national level are largely driven by models

underpinning international benchmark and measurement studies.

There are several international e-government-related benchmarking series:

o UNDESA Global E-Government Survey

o Waseda University World e-Government Ranking

o Brown University Global E-Government Survey

Economist Intelligence Unit’s Digital Economy Rankings (formerly E-Readiness Ranking)

E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGY MODELS - 1


o Economist Intelligence Unit’s Digital Economy Rankings (formerly E-Readiness Ranking)

o Accenture E-Government Leadership survey

UNDESA’s Global EGOV survey is the most comprehensive survey, covering UN member states; it assesses:

o Online presence and sophistication

o ICT infrastructure,

o Human capital availability

o Level of participation of citizens and businesses in government decision making

Benchmarking systems rely on one or more E-Governance development model

Known E-Governance development models include:

1) E-Governance Maturity Model

2) E-Governance Value Chain Model

3) Hybrid model of the above models

The E-Governance Maturity model is the most popular and

by far has been the most influential model to date.

E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGY MODELS - 2

Maturity

ModelValue Chain


by far has been the most influential model to date.

With increasing awareness of the limitation of the maturity

model approach, the value chain model have been

increasingly deployed since 2005.

Hybrid Model

E-GOV Development Models

MATURITY MODEL APPROACH – DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES

An E-Governance maturity model prescribes staged growth or evolutionary path for the development of

electronic governance. An implicit assumption is that higher stages are better than lower ones.

Therefore, progress is measured in terms of the stage reached.

UNDESA WB Gartner OECD

Examples of maturity models1,2:


Emerging Publish Publish Inform

Enhanced Interact Interact Interact

Transaction Transact Transact Transact

Connected Deliver Integrate Transform

The Layne and Lee Model2

Ref: 1 Adegboyega Ojo, Elsa Estevez, Strategic Planning for Electronic Governance, UNU-IIST, 2008. 2K.V. Andersen, H.Z. Henriksen, E-

Government maturity models: Extension of the Layne and Lee model, GIQ, 23 (2006), 236 - 248;

As popular and influential as the e-government maturity model has been, the following issues have

been surfaced in term of its usage and its normative value.

Specifically, there are has been argued that1:

1) The implicit assumption that later phases (say phase IV) is better than earlier phases (e.g. phases I,

II, and III) is not necessary true. In addition, practice has revealed that the individual phases occur

simultaneously and are part of different elements of e-government.

MATURITY MODEL APPROACH - OBSERVATIONS


simultaneously and are part of different elements of e-government.

2) The triggers for moving to one stage rather than another stage are more rewarding to focus on

rather than observing whether or not government is at stage I or IV.

3) Consequently, the stages in the maturity model should be taken as possible concurrent rather than

strictly as a continuum in the development process.

Therefore, e-governance strategies need not necessary move from one stage to another or implicitly

assume that “the more sophisticated is better”.

Ref: 1K.V. Andersen, H.Z. Henriksen, E-Government maturity models: Extension of the Layne and Lee model, GIQ, 23 (2006), 236 - 248;

The value chain model focuses on how to effectively e-government turns input into outcomes1. IN this

model, there is an implicit shift of emphasis and attention over time, from readiness to availability to

uptake and finally impact.

VALUE CHAIN DRIVEN STRATEGY


Ref: 1 Richard Heeks, Understanding and Measuring E-Government: International Benchmarking studies, Development informatics Group,

IDPM, University of Manchester, 2006

Heels E-Government Value Chain1

A variant of the Heek’s EGOV value chain model is being developed at UNU and applied to an ongoing

National Level E-Governance Strategy Initiative (EGOV.CM Project) in Cameroon.

The model prescribes that a typical e-governance strategy comprises a prudent mix of the different

strategy elements on producing concrete outputs, increasing adoption and usage, ensuring outcome

and creating impact.

VALUE CHAIN DRIVEN APPROACH –

UNU’S EGOV.CM PROJECT WITH GOVT OF CAMEROON


EGOV.CM Strategy Model 1Ref: 1 Adegboyega Ojo, et al., Conceptual

Framework for EGOV.CM Strategy, April, 2010

The value chain approach explicitly emphasis value generation from e-governance program. This

therefore addresses an increasing concern on concrete impacts produced from EGOV programs.

Unlike in the maturity models where stages could be concurrently pursued, the value chain phases

require some minimal capability in the earlier phases.

Given concrete good and democratic governance goals as well as the socio-economic objectives of Local

EGOV programs, value chain approach offers a good framework for linking actions to these goals.

VALUE CHAIN DRIVEN APPROACH - OBSERVATIONS


EGOV programs, value chain approach offers a good framework for linking actions to these goals.

Selecting the appropriate mix of strategies across phases.

However, the concrete normative qualities of the maturity model is missing.

A logical approach is to combine the concrete staged model prescribed by the EGOV maturity model and

the strong impact orientation of the value driven approach.

A hybrid model combines the value chain and the maturity model, with the value chain as the overall

framework (providing the bug picture) and the maturity model as lower level model for the output

phase. See Figure below.

HYBRID MODEL –

INTEGRATING MATURITY AND VALUE CHAIN MODELS


EXAMPLES OF EGOVERNANCE STRATEGIES – NATIONAL

Hong Kong 2004 2008

o Customized Service – CRM

o Back-office integration

o Service optimization

o Performance measurement

o Citizen engagement

o Smart-city applications –

Intelligent Public Transport

Information Optimization

o Sector application – Electronic

Health Record

Japan 2001 2003

o Internal management

o Eservices for business

o E-Information

o Infrastructure

o Regulation

o E-Information

o Standards and interoperability

o Local Governance

o Improved management –

outsourcing

o Participation

o Administrative reform and

business processes

o One-stop service

o Digital archiving

Singapore 2015

o E-engagement


o Digital archiving

Malta 2006 2010

o Government information Sharing

o Digitize all government services

o Citizen-centric services

o Interoperabiliy

o Business process renginering

o Customer relationship

managementt

o Partnership

o E-participation and web 2.0

o National ID

o E-Procurement

o Integrated HIS

o Uptake of e-services

o E-engagement

o E-Government for competitive

advantage

o Increasing reach and readiness

o Shared data, processes and

systems

Korea 2006

o Customized services – CRM

o Informatization of Legal system, Foreign relations

o Disaster management

o Internal management optimization

o Security of government information

o Participation and information

o M-Government infrastructure

o One-stop services

o Smart city apps – transport

o Aligning EGOV and Public Reform

o National knowledge infrastructure

o Information for Environment

OUTLINE








We now consider concrete examples of local e-governance strategies:

1) National strategy for local e-government, Local Government Association, UK, 20021

2) Strategic plan for E-Local Government, New Zealand, 20032

Basis for Selection:

Providing national level Local EGOV strategies that could be elaborated and implemented at specific

LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGIES


Providing national level Local EGOV strategies that could be elaborated and implemented at specific

local government context.

Each case provides the following:

o Conceptualization of Local E-Government

o Overall vision of the program

o Major goals and objectives

o Key performance areas

Ref: 1 Office of Deputy PM, The National Strategy for Local E-Government, 2002, 2 NZ Society of LG, Strategic Plan for E-Local Government,

Local Government Association, April 2003;

LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGIES - CASE 1, UK - 1

What is Local EGOV?

It is about modernizing local

government through improving

quality of service and local

Vision and Goals

1) Transformation of services

2) Renewing local democracy

Example of Key areas

Nine priority service areas:

1) Services to business

Local EGOV was part of the modernization agenda of the UK Government. It provides a national

framework to support the twin objective of strong local leadership and quality public services1.


quality of service and local

democracy:

o Community planning to

develop overall vision

o Cost effective services that

meets needs of customer

o Comprehensive performance

assessment

o Efficient decisions and

accountability

2) Renewing local democracy

3) Promoting local economic

vitality

1) Services to business

2) Benefits and personal

taxation

3) Transportation and travel

4) Education

5) Health

6) Citizens’ interaction with

criminal justice

7) Land and property services

8) Agriculture services

9) E-Democracy

Ref: 1 Office of Deputy PM, The National Strategy for Local E-Government, 2002

LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGIES - CASE 1, UK - 2

The e-organization model

enables local councils to

determine their current

position and build their

future strategy1.


E-Organization Capabilities 1

Ref: 1 Office of Deputy PM, The National Strategy for Local E-Government, 2002

LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGIES - CASE 1, NZ - 1

What is Local EGOV?

Providing interactive online access

to local government information

and services and to build

Vision and Mission

Vision: For NZ to be a world

leader in e-local government.

Key Result Areas

o Access

o Innovation

The e-Local Government strategy is to provide a framework which will allow local governments to

collectively decide a strategic direction, the results sought and how to achieve the results.


and services and to build

relationships to benefit all our

people.Mission:

o Access – easy access to inline

information and services

o Innovation – deliver

innovative products and

services to people

o Participation – to ensure that

peoples participation is

higher than current

o Leadership- effective local

government leadership

o Innovation

o Participation

o Online voting

o Leadership

o Management and funding

LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE STRATEGIES - CASE 1, NZ - 2

•Online interaction

•Online voting

•Core Information

•Core Services

•Consistency

•IT facilitation

Access Participation


•Education of business

•Delivery of business services

•Local and regional portal

•Best Practice

•Training and research awards

LeadershipInnovation

Ref: 1 NZ Society of LG, Strategic Plan for E-Local Government, Local Government Association, April 2003;

OUTLINE








Three surveys on local e-government will be presented to identify sources of best practices:

Local e-Government Now: a worldwide view, 2002, Socitm and I&DeA

Digital Governance in Municipalities Worldwide , 2009, Rutgers-SKKU

Local e-Government Bench-Learning Survey, 2009, Eurocities

For each survey, we describe:

BEST PRACTICES IN LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE


o The purpose

o Scope

o How it measures

o Highlight of results

o Cities providing good practice examples

BEST PRACTICE SURVEY 1 – SOCITM & I&DEA, 2002

Purpose

To inform local policy maker on:

o What has been achieved

What was being done to

Scope

1) 14 countries

2) Local e-governance

Approach

Selected cases in countries were

analyzed using the change

management framework below1.

The survey was designed to address the gap in international e-governance studies which focuses on

national e-government policy1.


o What was being done to

transform local government

and its interactions with

citizens and customers in

different country settings

o Emerging local government

best practices

o Key building blocks

o Ways of addressing the

cultural, structural , process

and technology changes to be

2) Local e-governance

programs were classified into

three:

o E-services

o E-governance

o E-Knowledge

management framework below1.

Ref: 1 Socitm and I&DEA, Local e-Government now: a worldwide view, June 2002

SURVEY 1 – SOCITM AND I&DEA, 2002 - FINDINGS

Involving every one in visioning

Patterns of actions by local authorities


Focusing on what matters to citizens

Collaborating and redesigning for

better outcomes

Searching for innovation

Ref: 1 Socitm and I&DEA, Local e-Government now: a worldwide view, June 2002

BEST PRACTICE SURVEY 2 – RUTGERS, 2009

Purpose

Global benchmark of the big

cities in terms of information

Scope

100 cities selected as follows:

Approach

Analyzes websites of

municipalities for:

The report series commenced in 2003 and surveys 100 cities from different parts of the world1.


cities in terms of information

and services provided online

and how these services are

used.

Africa – 16

Asia – 27

Europe - 36

North America – 10

South America – 9

Oceania - 2

municipalities for:

o Security

o Usability

o Contents

o Online services offered

o Citizens response to

participation

Ref: 1 Rutgers, Digital Governance in Municipalities Worldwide, 2009

SURVEY 2 – RUTGERS, 2009 - RESULTS


BEST PRACTICE SURVEY 3 – EUROCITIES, 2009

Purpose

The is a benchmarking

exercise based on

Scope

15 cities in Europe were

involved in the survey.

Approach

Assessment was based on a

set of 81 services, grouped as

The report intended to address the need of having information on the progress of local e-government

initiatives across Europe1.


exercise based on

measurement framework

developed specifically for

cities.

To enable sharing of

experience – a major driver to

accelerate EGOV in Europe

and in its EGOV action plan.

involved in the survey. set of 81 services, grouped as

follows 9 categories:

Citizen engagement,

Channeling, Education,

Employment and business,

Environment, lifecycle and

social care.

Ref: 1 Eurocities, Local e-Government Bench-learning Survey, Eurocities working group, 2009

SURVEY 2 – EUROCITIES, 2009 – BEST PRACTICES

A service is selected as a best practice if:

o The relative maturity is significantly higher

than the European average (rho)

o If the level of perceived adoption is at

least 3. The highest is 5.


OUTLINE








The last part of the lecture will present success factors for local e-governance programs. Two

comprehensive sets of recommendations are presented in this section for discussion:

1) Cook et al, Making a case for Local E-Government, CTG, 2002

2) Bermudez et al, European Study of E-Government City Models, 2007

SUCCESS FACTORS FOR LOCAL E-GOVERNANCE


RECOMMENDATIONS - 1

The following critical success factors are crucial when planning, developing, and implementing new

information technology initiatives in government1.

Critical success factors

1) Rally leadership

2) Learn from other local governments

Advice from Local E-Government Pioneers

1) Get buy in from people that can stop you

2) Deal with the cyclical life of local


2) Learn from other local governments

3) Get the right people at the table

4) Develop successful vendor relationship

5) Acknowledge political differences

6) Share information constantly and

consistently

7) Create innovative partnerships

8) Balance the right to privacy and the right to

know

2) Deal with the cyclical life of local

government

3) Prepare to overcome pr wait out resistance

4) Prepare for ongoing education and training

5) Sometimes you just have to do it

Ref: 1 Cook et al, Making a case for Local E-Government, CTG, 2002

Ten key success factors (individually necessary and sufficient as a whole) were identified in the European

study to attain local EGOV goals1:

1) The focus of the services should be towards the citizen, choosing that will make their life easier, and

generate high impact and demand

2) Achieving a sustained political support

3) Assuring that the program is sustainable, in terms of effectiveness and efficiency

4) Having an explicit strategy

RECOMMENDATIONS - 2


4) Having an explicit strategy

5) Having a dedicated unit for the coordination and leadership of the program

6) Constructing a common architecture of information

7) Assuring the participation of the different interested parties through change management

8) Searching the massive social adoption through sound marketing and communication

9) Displaying the projects and the operations in a very professional way, from both a technical and

managerial point of view

10) Establishing agreements and cooperation with other administrations and with the private sector

Ref: 1 Bermudez et al, European Study of E-Government City Models, 2007

1) Local EGOV is about transformational use of ICT for better local, self and democratic governance. It

is expected to have socio-economic development impact on inhabitants and businesses. It must

seen as an essential element of a national level EGOV program.

2) The emphasis on impact or outcome for Local EGOV requires much more than online delivery of

information and service; characteristic of the “maturity model” based EGOV paradigms. An explicit

and holistic Local EGOV strategy is essential.

CONCLUSIONS


3) While significantly less attention has been given to Local EGOV, we are beginning to see serious

efforts at developing national and regional frameworks, as well as knowledge sharing platforms to

accelerate the Local EGOV development in different parts of the world.

4) Concrete guidelines and factors are increasingly available to guide practitioners towards successful

development and implementation of Local EGOV initiatives. However, well documented case studies

remain essential in developing more accurate and robust framework for Local EGOV.

Thank you for your attention.

Adegboyega Ojo

[email protected]

Technology

Strategies for Local Electronic Governance