e-governance and citizen information - Universitat Oberta de ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

E-governance and Citizen Information 144 ConclusionsThe question of visibility continues to be an important obstacle to processes of integrationand coordination – not only the visibility of the administrations, but also of the internal administrativeunits that insist on putting their stamp of authority on the projects that they start oron others that they take part in. It is not enough that a project is done; the user should alsoknow who has done it. To this element is added the persistent feeling of ownership with respectto the data and information possessed by each unit. Despite this obstructing factorsome of the most noteworthy projects in the ambit of our international study are aimed attrying to overcome the Administration's bureaucratic structure in channels concerned withthe citizen, by creating, for example, single, virtual portals.Another tendency we have seen is the planning of global strategies aimed at rationalising existinginformation (and putting the back offices in order) and at the same time optimising spendingand resources invested in the past. Proportionally more efforts are dedicated to tidying upexisting contents than generating new ones.These strategies take “self-knowledge” and “introspection” as basic points of departure. Alarge number of the projects and initiatives begin with inventories to clearly establish thestarting point (with respect to the number of databases, websites, contents managers, telephones,etc.). Contrary to appearances, this collected data is in many cases very difficult toobtain.Generally, then, a transition is seen from one phase characterised by the rolling out oflarge scale, model projects to another where the projects designed are more limited inscope (as much in their implementation timeframes as in their objectives and predictedimpact). Despite this change of orientation in the scope of the projects, some of the centralideas remain very similar. And, with regard to the obstacles that are encounteredwhen rolling them out, very similar elements are also to be found (compartmentalisation,technological dispersion, lack of coordination, etc.).In this sense, the increasing interaction with the private sector due to the make up of companynetworks for designing and carrying out innovation projects and their increasinglystrong participation in Citizen Information procedures, creates new problems – or, in othercases, aggravates old ones. The proximity of the two cultures (public and private) meansthat certain traditional deficiencies with the bureaucratic system when rolling out transformationprocesses become more apparent: for example, a lack of clear planning and the absenceof pre-established evaluation mechanisms that guarantee penalties in cases wherethe project's deadline is missed or backward steps are taken (a common problem in the ambitof Administration).http://www.uoc.edu/in3/pic
E-governance and Citizen Information 145 ConclusionsIt is precisely in the ambit of the relationship between the private and public sector concerningelectronic Administration projects that we find some of the most significant transformations.A general change has occurred in the way private companies participate in theseprojects. The Administration seems to tend to exercise greater control over the responsibilitiescarried out by private providers. This greater control ensures, moreover, that, in theprocess of subcontracting, the Administration does not lose knowledge. For the other administrationsanalysed in the international study, monopolistic tendencies in outsourcing processesdo not seem to have occurred particularly. One common aspect, however, is thetendency to bring in more private agents and with greater diversity of functions (managers,designers, providers, etc.).On the other hand, the portfolio of providers has been diversified: projects are not subcontractedin their entirety or in large portions, but the tasks are separated between differentcompanies and competitive relationships are even encouraged between them throughoutthe execution of the projects.Despite the fact that, as we have stated above, the administrative structure has not changedsignificantly, there have indeed been functional changes, in the more limited scope, forexample, of the work teams. In order to overcome excessive rigidity in the administration'slabour framework, the contracting of personnel with a certain level of training and experiencehas been strengthened. In this way distinct groups of public workers have often beencreated – contracted and civil service workers – with some tensions between them (revolvingaround questions of salary, commitment etc.).With regard to Citizen Information mechanisms, the most notable tendency we have identifiedis aimed at the unification and integration of the channels. This process, however, is stilla long way from being completed. The effects of organisational compartmentalisation andthe relative autonomy of the units continue to present important obstacles and, in fact, muchrecent effort has been directed at building centralised coordination – as much technologicalas political and organisational.The role of the users in the design of Citizen Information procedures has also undergoneimportant changes. We have observed, on the one hand, an increase in actions aimed atidentifying the user's needs and interests with respect to services and public information.This preoccupation is even translated, in some cases, into specific directives in the initial levelsof digitisation of information systems. In our fieldwork, for example, we have observeda systematic effort to construct tags, key words and information taxonomies that correspondnot to the hierarchical structure of the contents or the administration's language, but in accordancewith subjects closer to the language of citizens.http://www.uoc.edu/in3/pic
Page 1:
PROJECT INTERNET CATALONIA (PIC)E-G
Page 4 and 5:
Edition:Internet PublicationsCommun
Page 7:
E-governance and Citizen Informatio
Page 11:
Chapter 11 Introduction
Page 14 and 15:
Page 16 and 17:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55:
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67:
Chapter 55 Structure and Organisati
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95: E-governance and Citizen Informatio
Page 107: E-governance and Citizen Informatio
Page 125: Chapter 88 Catalonia in the Interna
Page 139: Chapter 99 Conclusions
Page 167: E-governance and Citizen Informatio
show all

e-governance and citizen information - Universitat Oberta de ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?