United Nations E-Government Survey 2008: From E-Government to Connected Governance (Economic and Social Affairs)

253 Pages·2008·0.95 MB·English

by  United Nations

DESA

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a
vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres
and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: (i) it
generates, compiles and analyzes a wide range of economic, social and environmental
data and information on which Member States of the United Nations draw to review
common problems and to take stock of policy options; (ii) it facilitates the negotiations of
Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address
ongoing or emerging global challenges; and (iii) it advises interested governments on the
ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations
conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical
assistance, helps build national capacities.

Notes

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not
imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the
United Nations concerning the legal status of any country or territory or of its authority, or
concerning the delimitation of its frontiers.
The term “country” as used in the text of the present report also refers, as appropriate, to
territories or areas.
The designations of country groups in the text and the tables are intended solely for
statistical or analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about
the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process.
Mention of the names of firms and commercial products does not imply the endorsement
of the United Nations.
This document has been issued without formal editing.

ST/ESA/PAD/SER.E/112
United Nations publication
Sales No. E.08.II.H.2
ISBN 978-92-1-123174-8
Copyright ©United Nations, 2008
All rights reserved
Printed by the United Nations, New York
ST/ESA/PAD/SER.E/112

Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Division for Public Administration and Development
Management

UN E-Government Survey 2008

From E-Government to
Connected Governance

United Nations
New York, 2008
Preface

In a world characterised by rapid change driven by globalisation, the knowledge-based
economy poses some challenges but also opportunities for the private sector and the
public sector alike. According to OECD, Knowledge Management (KM) has for some
time been at the core of government tasks - inseparable from strategy, planning,
consultation and implementation. Nevertheless, indications are that the public sector has
been falling behind in these practices, compared to the private sector. This realization
has prompted some governments to put KM high on their policy agendas.

For citizens, the benefits to be reaped from KM include better services, more choices,
more personalisation and greater accountability of how their money is spent. For the
organization, KM provides the major benefit of improving the organization’s performance
through increased efficiency and innovation. But for these benefits to occur, the back
office processes must be in place. KM is founded on the notion that the organization’s
most valuable resource is the knowledge of its people. This year’s Survey therefore
looks at the issue of connected governance from the perspective of how governments
manage and how they should manage their back office processes.

Part II of the Report therefore, examines the idea of connected governance as the
means to achieve maximum cost savings and improved service delivery. The underlying
principle is to improve the internal workings of the public sector by reducing financial
costs and transaction time, to better manage the work flow and processes, to improve
institutional linkages between different government agencies, ministries and units, and
enable a better flow of resources and allocation of responsibilities to promote the
delivery of public services.

By bringing issues of connected governance to the mainstream of development thinking,
the Report intends to stimulate thinking and debate around an important issue: that e-
government has great potential for public sector transformation.

We hope that in doing so it will contribute to a better understanding of the multifaceted
challenges of e-government and connected governance by decision makers around the
world.

Guido Bertucci
Director
Division for Public Administration
and Development Management
Acknowledgements

The UN E-Government Survey 2008: From E-Government to Connected Governance
has been finalized under the leadership of Guido Bertucci, Director of the UNDESA
Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM).

The Report was prepared by a team closely supervised by Haiyan Qian, Chief, of the
Knowledge Management Branch and coordinated by Michael G. Mimicopoulos who was
also the substantive editor. In this team effort, Seema Hafeez authored Chapter I and
Richard Kerby Chapters II to V. Part II of the Survey benefited from the valuable
contribution of experts. The discussion on connected governance (Part II) is contributed
by Jeffrey Roy (Chapters VI and VIII) with the editorial assistance of Elisa Oberman, and
by Chris Harman (Chapters VII and VIII). Jason Qian, Lada Kyj and Maria Oset Serra
provided back office case studies which constituted background material for the Survey.
Patricia Penuen served as the administrative assistant to the team, and Elizabeth
Danseco, Adriana Ribeiro and Silvia Schwarz as support, formatting and layout
assistants.

Dr. Gregory Curtin, Managing Director of Civic Resource Group and Director of the E-
Governance Lab at the University of Southern California led the senior research team
which carried out the Web Measure Survey for 2008. This team included Simone
Lawhun, CRG Data Manager; Elitsa Anguelova, CRG Coordinator; Shafiq Meyer, Senior
Researcher; and Farhanaz Kermalli, Senior Researcher. The core research team
included Fernando Guayasamin, Victoria Imsirovic, Wagd Alrabadi, Iva Bozovic, Meelis
Kitsing, Isabelle Mazumdar, Mamta Nanavati, Inga Stasiulionyte, Andrea Vladar, Nelly
Taha and Laura Hosman. More than 20 additional individuals from around the globe
provided translation and other supporting assistance.

The book cover design was produced by the United Nations Graphics Design Unit by
Matias Delfin.
Contents

PREFACE........................................................................................................................iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................iv
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................xi
PART I – UN e-Government Survey 2008
Introduction.....................................................................................................................1
The Need for Connected Governance...................................................................................1
The Second Generation e-Government Paradigm.................................................................2
From e-Government to Connected Governance: A Framework...................................4
Recent Trends towards Connected Governance...................................................................8
Connected Governance: The Key Message........................................................................10

Assessing e-Government Readiness..........................................................................11
The Conceptual Framework, Methodology and Data Measurement....................................11
The UN Global e-Government Readiness Index 2008.........................................................13
The Web Measure Index......................................................................................................14
Stages of e-Government Evolution......................................................................................15
Telecommunication Infrastructure Index..............................................................................15
Human Capital Index............................................................................................................16
The e-Participation Conceptual Framework 2008................................................................16
Data and Methodology for the e-Participation Index............................................................17
E-Information...............................................................................................................17
E-Consultation.............................................................................................................17
E-Decision-making......................................................................................................17

Global e-Government Readiness Rankings...............................................................18
Regional e-Government Readiness.....................................................................................20
Africa.....................................................................................................................................21
Central Africa...............................................................................................................22
Eastern Africa..............................................................................................................22
North Africa..................................................................................................................24
Southern Africa............................................................................................................25
West Africa..................................................................................................................25
The Americas.......................................................................................................................26
The Caribbean.............................................................................................................27
Central America...........................................................................................................27
North America..............................................................................................................28
South America.............................................................................................................29
Asia.......................................................................................................................................31
Central Asia.................................................................................................................31
Eastern Asia................................................................................................................31
Southern Asia..............................................................................................................32

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South-Eastern Asia......................................................................................................33
Western Asia...............................................................................................................34
Europe..................................................................................................................................36
Eastern Europe............................................................................................................36
Northern Europe..........................................................................................................37
Southern Europe.........................................................................................................38
Western Europe...........................................................................................................40
Oceania................................................................................................................................40

Web Measurement Assessment..................................................................................43
Government Provision of e-Services....................................................................................46
Stages of Service Delivery by Country.................................................................................54

E-Participation...............................................................................................................59
E-Information........................................................................................................................63
E-Consultation......................................................................................................................65
E-Decision-Making...............................................................................................................66
PART II - From E-government to Connected Governance

Origins and Emergence of E-Government..................................................................72
From Static Web Sites to Integrative Portals...............................................................74
Centralized versus Decentralized Governance...........................................................76
Electronic Capacities and Y2K....................................................................................79
Conclusion...................................................................................................................80
Progress and Performance...................................................................................................80
Infrastructure...............................................................................................................82
Integration....................................................................................................................90
Transformation..........................................................................................................105
Inter-jurisdictional Partnering.....................................................................................108
Wikinomics, Web. 2.0 & E-Democracy......................................................................112
Conclusion.................................................................................................................116
Developed and Developing Countries – Convergence or Divergence?.............................117
E-Government as a Global Project?..........................................................................120
Federalism as a Key Design Principle.......................................................................125
Conclusion.................................................................................................................126

Back-Office Issues in e-Government Operations....................................................130
Introductory Remarks.........................................................................................................130
Back Office Defined............................................................................................................130
Vertical and Horizontal Integration.....................................................................................132
Operational and Strategic Integration.................................................................................133
Drivers for Back Office Integration.....................................................................................134
Cost....................................................................................................................................134
Service Improvement/Efficiency.........................................................................................135
Service Innovation..............................................................................................................136
Increased Control......................................................................................................136
Modernisation............................................................................................................137
Delivery Methodologies......................................................................................................138
In-house Delivery.......................................................................................................139
Strengths...................................................................................................................139
Weaknesses..............................................................................................................139
Strategic Partnerships...............................................................................................139
Strengths...................................................................................................................140

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Weaknesses..............................................................................................................140
Out-Sourcing.............................................................................................................140
Strengths...................................................................................................................141
Weaknesses..............................................................................................................141
Managing Delivery..............................................................................................................141
Organizational Culture...............................................................................................142
Governance...............................................................................................................146
Staffing Transition...............................................................................................................152
Training and Development.................................................................................................155
Knowledge Management/Transfer.....................................................................................157
Technology.........................................................................................................................158
Document Control...............................................................................................................160
Managing Consultants........................................................................................................162
Redesigning Processes......................................................................................................163
Concluding Remarks..........................................................................................................165

Conclusions and Policy Issues.................................................................................172

ANNEX I Tables..........................................................................................................179
ANNEX II Technical Notes and Methodology...........................................................227

Tables

3.1. Top 35 Countries in the 2008 E-Government Readiness Index........................................20
3.2. The Next 35 Countries.......................................................................................................20
3.3. Regional e-Government Readiness Rankings..................................................................21
3.4. E-Government Readiness for Central Africa.....................................................................22
3.5. E-Government Readiness for Eastern Africa....................................................................23
3.6. E-Government Readiness for North Africa........................................................................24
3.7. E-Government Readiness for Southern Africa..................................................................25
3.8. E-Government Readiness for West Africa........................................................................26
3.9. E-Government Readiness for the Caribbean....................................................................27
3.10. E-Government Readiness for Central America.................................................................28
3.11. E-Government Readiness for North America....................................................................29
3.12. E-Government Readiness for South America...................................................................30
3.13. E-Government Readiness for Central Asia.......................................................................31
3.14. E-Government Readiness for Eastern Asia......................................................................32
3.15. E-Government Readiness for Southern Asia....................................................................33
3.16. E-Government Readiness for South-Eastern Asia............................................................34
3.17. E-Government Readiness for Western Asia.....................................................................35
3.18. E-Government Readiness for Eastern Europe..................................................................36
3.19. E-Government Readiness for Northern Europe................................................................37
3.20. E-Government Readiness for Southern Europe...............................................................39
3.21. E-Government Readiness for Western Europe.................................................................40
3.22. E-Government Readiness for Oceania.............................................................................41
4.1. Web Measurement Assessment 2008: The Top 35 Countries.........................................43
4.2. Web Assessment 2008: The Next 35 Countries (36-70)...................................................45
4.3. Stage II Characteristics of National Portal/Web Sites.......................................................47
4.4. Linkages between Web Sites in Countries........................................................................47
4.5. Online Submission.............................................................................................................49
4.6. Interactive Services...........................................................................................................50
4.7. Some Connected Presence Services................................................................................51
4.8. Provision of Services by Sector.........................................................................................52

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4.9. Scores by Stages, Selected Countries 2008.....................................................................54
4.10. Countries with the Lowest Aggregate Utilization 2008: Range 0 – 10%...........................57
5.1. E-Participation Index 2008: Top 35 Countries...................................................................59
5.2. E-Participation Profile of UN Member States....................................................................61
5.3. Quality and Relevance of e-Participation Initiative, Selected Countries...........................62
5.4. Countries Providing e-Information.....................................................................................64
5.5. Quality and Relevance of e-Consultation..........................................................................66
5.6. E-Decision-Making............................................................................................................67
6.1. Internet Usage and Population Statistics..........................................................................86

Figures

1.1. Evolving Approach to Public Service Delivery.....................................................................4
1.2. ICT-enabled Connected Governance..................................................................................7
2.1. E-Government Model........................................................................................................13
2.2. E-Government Model........................................................................................................14
3.1. Regional Average of e-Government Readiness................................................................18
3.2. E-Government Readiness of Africa...................................................................................21
3.3. E-Government Readiness of the Americas.......................................................................26
3.4. E-Government Readiness in Asia.....................................................................................31
3.5. E-Government Readiness in Europe.................................................................................36
4.1. Government Web Sites.....................................................................................................46
4.2. Head of State Web Sites...................................................................................................48
4.3. Some Transactional Presence Services...........................................................................49
4.4. Number of Countries with Interactive Services.................................................................50
4.5. E-Consulting Services.......................................................................................................53
4.6. Transactional Services.......................................................................................................53
4.7. E-Government Service Delivery........................................................................................55
4.8. Stages of E-Government 2008, Selected Countries.........................................................56
4.9. Transactional Services: Top 10 Countries........................................................................56
5.1. E-Participation Index: Top 35 Countries............................................................................61
5.2. E-Participation Utilization Levels 2008..............................................................................62
6.1. Elements of the e-Brasil Vision.........................................................................................87
6.2. Africa Internet Users..........................................................................................................88
6.3. Transformation from an Individual Agency Model to an Enterprise Model.......................90
6.4. The Partnering Continuum................................................................................................98
6.5. The Impact of the Internet and Other ICT on Parliament................................................114
7.1. Example of ‘Vertical’ Integration of Educational Records...............................................132
7.2. Key Drivers for Back Office Integration and Shared Service Models..............................138
7.3. Simplified Governance Model for Delivery of Back Office Integration............................147
7.4. Governance Model for Delivery of a Customer Contact Centre......................................149
7.5. Functional Responsibilities in Governance Structure –
Customer Service Centre Project....................................................................................151
7. 6. Sample Document Control Audit Template....................................................................160
7. 7. Document Categorisation and Prioritisation...................................................................161
8.1. Transformation Agenda for Connected Governance (Harman & Roy 2007).................178

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Boxes

1. Achieving Connected Governance: What the Government Does..........................................5
2. Best Practice – European Union..........................................................................................24
3. Brazil – House of Representatives e-Participation...............................................................30
4. Chuncheon City Online Services..........................................................................................32
5. Singapore Personal Access (SingPass)...............................................................................34
6. Regional Best Practice - Ireland...........................................................................................38
7. Regional Best Practice - Malta.............................................................................................39
8. No Online Presence.............................................................................................................46
9. Head of State Web Sites that Encourage Citizen Engagement...........................................48
10. Countries that use email to update their citizens..................................................................64
11. Countries that use RSS to update and involve citizens.......................................................64
12. Countries that use an open web forum for discussing topics...............................................66
13. Governments that publish findings/results of citizen opinions, including e-opinions,
on web site............................................................................................................................67
14. The French National Commission of Public Debate............................................................68
15. The Netherlands E-Citizen Charter......................................................................................69

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