Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
ideas of the Guichet virtuel follow the concept of the Austrian Information System. The
planned Web portal will be an entry point for citizens and business in searching relevant
information at the top level of government (union) or at the lower levels (cantons, local
governments). A link system will be implemented, with references to already existing Web
pages of the union, single cantons, or various local governments. The Guichet virtuel will be
realized in three phases [information procurement (one-way communication), communication
(interaction), and transaction] and structured in spheres of life like education, business,
finances, health, government, security, and society.
For the successful implementation of electronic government, systems there must have
some critical general conditions developed (Oberer, 2002). Principles are public access,
possibility of selecting the conventional method of contact or the electronic one, prevention
of abuse, creation of trust in the service's quality on the part of the users, and measurements
for adjusting the administrational processes (redesign or optimization of processes). Areas
for reaching a sufficient development of e-government are demand orientation of the services,
organizational, legal, and technological conditions, which will be explained in this section
(Europäische Kommission, 2000).
Demand Orientation
The demand for electronic governmental services has been proved empirically. The
main interests of citizens as users of governmental services are simple: fast information
procurement and transactions to simplify contact to governmental authorities. The use of
electronic administrational services therefore should be demand and impact orientated. As
criteria for the demand, empirical surveys, user-feedback possibilities, or the number of
visitors or the volume of contacts to administrational authorities can be used (Europäische
Kommission, 2000).
Organizational Conditions
The redesign of administrational processes and structures according to the New Public
Management (NPM) approach include: reform of tasks and structures as well as moderniza-
tion “within” for higher efficiency and better control of transactions. The premise is that the
development of electronic government and the redesign of administrational processes and
structures must agree with each other and have to be synchronized. Coordination has to take
place in three areas:
•
Coordination of organizational and technological redesign
•
Coordination of technical organization decisions at all levels of electronic government
•
Synchronization of internal (administrational) changes and external offers of services
of administration
Legal Conditions
Mainly, the following legal conditions should be met:
•
Formulation of an information policy
•
Definition of rules for access and use of electronic services by citizens and businesses
•
Regulations about security infrastructure
