icegov2012 proceedings

Stage Description
1 st stage
(Simple
Demonstration)
2 nd stage
(Complex
Demonstration)
3 rd stage
(Simple
Interaction)
4 th stage
(Complex
Interaction)
5 th stage
(Transaction)
6 th stage
(Transformation)
Public information services, which were provided
through the wired Internet previously, are provided
through a public app. Since it is the beginning
phase of public apps production, service producers
mainly focus on delivery of simple services and
information, such as text, pictures, and video clips.
The functions that increase citizens’ convenience
are not provided at this stage.
The functions that increase citizens’ convenience
by means of mobile technology, such as QR
(Quick Response) code, are provided. For
example, citizens can search for the nearest
facilities from the place where they are located via
LBS (Location Based Service), such as augmented
reality and Google Maps. Government agencies
provide such services in unilateral way.
Government agencies provide the function that
interacts with citizens. For example, public apps
provide Q & A, counseling, and chatting billboard
in order to provide citizens with the opportunity to
ask a question or express an opinion about public
affairs. Also, citizens can report the emergency
situation with short descriptions about situation or
pictures on the spot.
The function that enhances interaction is provided.
That is, interaction between government agencies
and citizens transcends the simple level and
researches the extent that not only citizens but
government agencies are also proactive in citizencentric
services. For example, mutual
communication occurs through SNS (Social
Network Services), such as Facebook and Twitter.
At this stage, public apps provide the two-way
communication service which is possible only
when technological security and trust between
citizens and government agencies are assured. For
instance, citizens can make payment of taxes,
fines, and public merchandise. Also, they can
request package delivery with regard to civil affair
documents via public apps.
Citizens enjoy one-stop service via one public app.
Because public apps are interconnected in terms of
service delivery, any service or information that
citizens want to receive are provided even though
they get access to other public apps. For example,
a public app which is a platform for all of the
mobile public information services plays a role as a
portal for providing one-stop services.
4. EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
4.1 Methods
In order to identify current status of Korean public apps which can
be downloaded through Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android
Market, the authors examined the entire population of public apps
as of January 31, 2012. Based on the data collected from the
survey, the list of public apps according to the title, app producers,
and mobile platforms were made. Then, not only were the public
apps provided by central government downloaded, but the
characteristics and functions were closely examined in order to
measure the level of each public app.
More specific procedure is as follows. First, two of the authors,
the one who had an Apple iPhone and the other who had an
Android phone, individually observed the contents of mobile
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services of the public apps that were produced by central
government agencies and that were provided through both App
Store and Android Market. Second, they cross-checked each
other’s findings in terms of the functions and characteristics each
public app was equipped with. Third, the author who had an
iPhone examined the level of central government’s public apps in
the Apple’s App Store and the one who had an Android phone
examined the level of central government’s public apps in the
Android Market.
4.2 Descriptive Survey Results
Some major findings on the public apps from the survey are
illustrated in Table 2 and Table 3. According to Table 2, a total of
701 public apps are provided by central government, local
governments, and public agencies in Korea. The public apps
provided by local governments account for 40.4%, which means
that local governments are the most active providers of public
apps among the three types of public organizations. In addition,
the public apps provided by public agencies including public
enterprises and quasi-governmental organizations (QUAGOs)
account for 36.7%. On the other hand, the public apps provided by
central government agencies account for 22.9%, which suggests
that central government agencies fall behind the rest of public
organizations in terms of provision of public apps.
Table 2. The number of public apps
Central
Government
Local
Governments
Public
Agencies
Total
Frequency 161 283 257 701
Portion (%) 22.9 40.4 36.7 100.0
By contrast, Table 3 illustrates that central government agencies
are the most active providers of public apps in terms of the ratio
of the number of the agencies that produce public apps to the total
number of agencies. That is, 67.3% of the entire central
government agencies provide public apps, while only 43.8% and
39.1% of the entire local governments and public agencies
provide public apps, respectively. Also, Table 3 suggests that
local governments provide more public apps than central
government agencies and public agencies because the number of
local governments is more than that of central government
agencies and public agencies, not because every local government
is active in provision of public apps.
Table 3. Public apps providers
Central
Government
Local
Governments
Public
Agencies
Total
Total 49 224 284 557
Providers 33 98 111 242
Portion (%) 67.3 43.8 39.1 43.4