Authors: Kolsaker, Ailsa¹; Lee-Kelley, Liz²

Source: Electronic Government, an International Journal, Volume 4, Number 1, 27 January 2007 , pp. 68-75(8)

Publisher: Inderscience Publishers

Abstract:

Governments are investing heavily in e-government as a means of promoting 'the knowledge society'. A discourse of technology-enabled transformation is prevalent in Western culture, yet drawing upon the UK experience this article proposes that ambitions may exceed ability to deliver. We identify numerous barriers to transforming government through the web, such as problems with providing more than rudimentary functionality; requirements for identify verification which necessitate mixed-channel correspondence; challenges of assuring confidentiality; citizens' preference for engaging with human beings; and habitual behaviours which quite simply favour offline alternatives. We suggest that the UK government is raising expectations by moving beyond a modernisation agenda to a 'transformational government plan' before e-services have reached an adequate level of sophistication. We perceive a gap between vision and delivery and suggest that the immediate emphasis should shift to improving existing online services before embarking on transformational government.

Keywords: COMPUTING JOURNALS; Information Systems and Technology; Internet and Web Services; PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION JOURNALS; Public Administration

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/EG.2007.012180

Affiliations: 1: School of Management, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK. 2: School of Management, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK

Publication date: 2007-01-27

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• Electronic Government is dedicated to design, development, management, implementation, technology, and application issues in e-government. EG aims to help professionals working in the field, academic educators and policy makers to contribute, to disseminate knowledge, and to learn from each others' work through cutting-edge thinking in e-government. The international dimension is emphasised in order to overcome cultural and national barriers and to meet the needs of accelerating technological change and changes in the global economy.
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