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522. Contrary to former reports by the ISAB, the taskforce focused solely on e-government, considered not only as electronic services, but also as e-engagement and e-enablers. Its starting point was a critical assessment of the current status of e-government in Finland. It adopted a five-year development vision and identified four general problem areas with a number of specific problems or bottlenecks. Against this background it proposed a number of action items. 523. The Taskforce’s vision stated that “by providing secure and user-friendly online services, the public administration will: save trouble and expense for its customers, empower the citizen and support the competitiveness of firms. 524. The vision differed from the vision put forward in the 2001 Standpoint of the Ministerial Steering Group on the Reform of Central Government in that it did not include reform of the administration as a goal in itself. On the other hand, it added the e-engagement aspect of e-government. The goals stated in the vision were not very specific, so that progress towards achieving them will likely be difficult to measure, monitor and evaluate. 525. The report identified four general problem areas on the way to e-government: i) development, implementation and delivery of online services; ii) demand for online services and service quality; iii) accessibility, usability and user qualifications; iv) guidance and co-ordination of online service development. The trouble spots and bottlenecks singled out are all very concrete and relevant for the specific Finnish context. 526. On this basis, action was proposed in four general areas: i) reforming administrative processes rather than adding technology; ii) encouraging the supply of and demand for online services; iii) improving access, usability and end-user competence; and iv) co-ordinating the development of online services. The programme of action sought to address goals and problem areas concretely so that a majority of the action items were put forward as specific tasks and stakeholders were identified. The action programme furthermore assigned responsibility for follow-up or guidance on most of the action items, even though the large number of responsible actors mentioned both in specific action areas and in general might itself create a problem of ownership and co-ordination. 527. The programme recommended that the Ministry of Finance be given central authority and additional resources to co-ordinate development work for e-government. This was in line with the 2000 Decision on Information Management in the Administration, although it at least partly contradicted the Standpoint of the Ministerial Steering Group on the Reform of the Central Government, which recommended that significant cross-administration programmes at the government level be placed in the Prime Minister’s Office and that a general staff unit for strategic issues be formed in the Prime Minister’s Office to supplement the Ministry of Finance’s co-ordination work. 528. The taskforce on online government had no formal decision-making power to back up the Programme of Action. In comparison with earlier information society strategies, however, its egovernment vision included concrete action areas.. Challenges and problems were identified and, most importantly, responsibility for each action was given to specific stakeholders. If the different stakeholders acknowledge their responsibility, it may be a way to ensure support and involvement in carrying out the proposed lines of action. 160
7.4 Appendix 4: Glossary and List of Acronyms 7.4.1 Glossary From the OECD E-government Survey on Finland: x The term e-government is defined as the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), and particularly the Internet, as a tool to achieve better government. The term “e-government” corresponds to the Finnish term sähköinen hallinto, in Swedish: nätkommunikation or elektronisk förvaltning. x The term e-government activities is used broadly to cover all activities relating to the use of ICT by governments. It thus covers both an agency’s activities with regard to citizens, businesses, and other public agencies as well as activities concerning internal administration processes, structures, and behaviour. x The term electronic public services covers services provided by, but not necessarily supplied by the public administration to citizens, businesses and organisations as well as to other public administrations units through information networks. The term corresponds to the Finnish term: julkiset verkkopalvelut, in Swedish: offentliga elektroniska tjänster. x The term e-engagement applies to the use of ICT for developing relations between government and citizens and business, including information, consultation and active participation: Information: a one-way relation in which government produces and delivers information for use by citizens. It covers both “passive” access to information upon demand from citizens and “active” measures by government to disseminate information to citizens Consultation: a two-way relation in which citizens provide feedback to government. It is based on the prior definition by government of the issue on which citizens’ views are being sought and requires the provision of information. Governments define the issues for consultation, set the questions and manage the process, and citizens are invited to contribute their views and opinions. Active participation: a relation based on partnership with government, in which citizens actively engage in the policy-making process. It acknowledges a role for citizens in proposing policy options and shaping the policy dialogue – although the responsibility for the final decision or policy formulation rests with the government. 77 x A portal is a dedicated service that co-ordinates and presents information and services from different, independent suppliers into one interface, typically a Web site. The information is categorised in accordance with given criteria such as topics, geography or other subjects related to the user’s need. 78 77 OECD (2001), Citizens as Partners, Paris. 78 Pirkko, Romakkaniemi and Seppo Kurkinen (2001), “Portal Report Finland”, Finnish Ministry of Finance, Public Management Department. 161
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OECD e-GOVERNMENT STUDIES e-GOVERNM
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Secretariat wo
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4.2.5 Managing multiple service cha
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This report provides a first compre
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Finland could reinforce citizen sup
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Technical issues have been recognis
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The central government, however, la
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E-government has helped improve pla
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OVERALL ASSESSMENT The first phase
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6. The constitutional independence
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6. As the first OECD report of its
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Box 1.1. E-government co-ordination
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x The central administration does n
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2 THE CASE FOR E-GOVERNMENT 25. The
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Key Points - 4 x Public administrat
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40. As a result of these earlier go
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is illustrative. An online transact
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Health care 50 29 21 Unemployment 8
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3 BARRIERS TO E-GOVERNMENT 61. E-go
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action unclear. In interviews, IT o
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80. As noted in Chapter 2, the Stat
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equired to provide e-government str
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most important way to fund e-govern
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obtain (38%), followed by funds for
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Figure 3.4. E-government technologi
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113. Not surprisingly, the OECD sur
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3.3.2 Types of barriers 119. Respon
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x Technology neutrality in legislat
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“backbone” of the government ne
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egional authorities is decisive, ev
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Box 3.5. The development of mobile
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x Improving the public administrati
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political leaders to impress upon t
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showed that top management commitme
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levels of government. In particular
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home and school, every business and
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E-government Imperative (2003) list
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Key Points - 31 x The proportion of
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Key Points - 32 x Basic online info
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Key Points - 33 x Interactive infor
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of using more efficient electronic
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Key Points - 35 x The proportion of
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233. The Finnish Vehicle Administra
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citizens’ access to information i
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4.3.2 E-engagement at the ministry
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Key Points - 38 x E-engagement init
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255. At the end of 2002, the curren
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Themes portal (e.g. environmental,
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partnerships”). The most signific
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job satisfaction enquiry and models
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Key Points - 42 x Structural impact
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Key Points - 43 x Change management
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Figure 4.17. E-government leadershi
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297. Interviews with ministries and
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Page 130 and 131: 5 NEXT STEPS 385. In May 2003, the
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Page 136 and 137: 409. In 1998, the government agreed
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Page 170 and 171: 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY ACCENTURE (2001),
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Page 174 and 175: OECD (1992), “ICCP Reviews of Inf
Page 176 and 177: “GOVERNMENT RESOLUTION ON HIGH-QU
Page 178: VISTI, S. (1998), “Electronic Ide
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