ITs and Public Administration
ITs and public administration: What are the advantages and disadvantages or challenges of e-administration?
Blogger: Ambre Armand
It has been now several years since the digitization of processes of governance have evolved progressively. New tools are being used by governments, administrations, organizations such as ITs (Information Technologies) including different types of technologies and systems which gather, store, process and transmit information/data. To keep up with this digitization era, governments are opt for the development of e-administration which can be defined as “any of several mechanisms which transform what in a traditional office are paper processes into electronic processes, in order to create a paperless office.” (Radu and Pólkowski, Theoretical, technical and practical aspects of e-administration, p.1, 2014). It is an ICT tool used to improve productivity and performance.
Many advantages stem from e-administration, indeed the digitization of processes known to be costly in material and human resources make it less costly. In addition, the automation of administrative procedures and data collect allow administration to gain in effectiveness and provide a better quality in its services for its citizens. The revolution of digitization pushed numerous national administrations’ aim to be proactive rather than responsive by developing digital platforms providing services such as taxpaying, identification, voter registration etc.
Another key advantage is the simplification of these administrative processes which could now be accessible to every citizen regardless of their age, physical capacity, social situation by creating simple yet effective digital platforms available just with few clicks on any technological device. (Heeks, Understanding e-Governance for Development, 2001). Important documents and procedures are now digitalized (e-passport, e-signature, e-voting, e-identification…) and gathered to make identification and procedures faster and easier for travels through frontiers, transactions and more. Despite concerns of confidentiality, the digitization of sensible has the advantage of assuring a double if not triple protection on these documents by encrypting
In their book, Radu and Pólkowski explain how this increase in efficiency an indirect impact on governance’s and public policies as it now aims to satisfy citizens by considering their needs, their recommendations. It is thanks to the increase in information collecting by agents through satisfactory questionnaires, public consultation, forms and petition to adapt their services to citizens viewed here as “customers”. By including e-administration used by government they define e-government: to better itself by using a “pull” system through opinions gathering with electronic votes, public questionnaires for example “with different interaction levels:
First, information by providing information online on the government website and different platforms. Second, communication through the ability to access information and exchange with others. Finally, third with transactions by carrying out public services with forms signing, notifications or access to official documents for example. E-government is therefore a set of digital public administration services which are available to every citizen. These platforms are highly dependent on citizens’ opinions to better themselves. This strategy adopted by governments can be observed in our own region coming from French Caribbean territories (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guyana, Saint-Martin) where since the first mandate of President Emmanuel Macron, the New Public Management strategy aim to reform and improve the administration system by collecting remarks and opinions from mainland and overseas French citizens as well as improving connectivity in these off-centre territories and simplifying administrative processes.
Citizens in general are then embodying an “active citizen” role by being part of the decision-making processes in the governance. It therefore gives a power to citizens and allow them to not only be part of the process but also for government to have more transparency in their governance and thus participate in a democratic effort.
Despite its numerous advantages in terms of effectivity, cost and asset for citizens-government relations, e-administration and the use of ITs also present disadvantages and challenges as it was less mentioned in the text of Radu and Pólkowski.
The first challenge for e-administration and the rise of ITs in lives would be the need for trust from citizens distrust and reluctance towards new technologies used in confidential areas such as identification (ID, e-passport, tax documents in databases). This feeling from some citizens is partly justified with some recent events which occurred around the world as these technologies are not perfect yet. With the rise of leaks, digital identity theft and more are causing some doubts on ITs capacities.
Even further, conspirators and worries around a “surveillance society” arose with few international examples, the main one being China and its highly monitored and watched citizens with a rapid development of surveillance technologies to avoid crime but tend to be put into question by activists regarding human rights and the freedom of movement. Another example less significant, with banking establishment rights to access confidential digital documents to evaluate the potential of one customer request for a loan.
Even though e-administration promotes transparency through the participation process from citizens by gathering information to answer customers/citizens’ needs, some citizens tend to complain about the lack of tracking on their data as the digital dimension does not allow to clearly see the data collecting process. A simple example could be the recent research on the management of cookies from websites which are required to not force the acceptance of all cookies from users yet continued to collect data, including official governmental website.
Adding to this the simplification of administrative procedures displayed by the studied articles omit to mention the risks of a deepened digital fractures between citizens from different backgrounds. Even though the availability of these process makes it easier, there is still a remaining minority of citizens isolated from digital resources or in incapacity to comprehend this new administration style and therefore in incapacity of making their procedures in a more connected world.
As mentioned by Kraemer and King (2003), need a reform. Although it is not mentioned enough when talking about ITs, but governments and organisations are now facing a problem more modern: cybersecurity challenges. With the gathering of sensible data and information of hundreds and hundreds of citizens, public entities are now targets of choice for cybercrime. Global leaks of banking information, assurance data and more put into question the “e” of e-governance and e-administration…
Few questions remain: despite its advantages should e-administration and ITs be developed more considering risks of personal info leaks, confidentiality issues? How far can ITs be included in administration processes and in your lives? And finally, how can ICTs and e-administration could be developed and at the same time consider their challenges (cybersecurity, digital divide, mistrust from taxpayer).
The blog was good, very insightful. The advantages and disadvantages of e-administration you mentioned were on point for the most part and easy to identify. Good job in that regard.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as an advantage of e-administration you mentioned, ‘the simplification of these administrative processes’ in paragraph 3. The discussion that followed on citizen participation is insightful however it assumes that all citizens can easily engage with these digital platforms. For example, you stated that ‘administrative processes are now accessible to every citizen regardless of their age, physical capacity, social situation. This statement overlooks barriers such as digital literacy, access to internet and technology among the different demographic groups. E-administration does promotes efficiency, but I don’t believe that it automatically ensures inclusivity, especially for the elderly, persons with disabilities, or even individuals in rural areas with limited access to internet connectivity. I was also hoping you would have a follow up sentence after you broadly mentioned Information Technologies in the first paragraph which would tell us what those specific technologies are that are used in public administration. Very good job, overall.
The blog highlighted the importance and challenges of e-administration. The examples and definitions used were clear and provided clarity on the subject of e-admin.
ReplyDeleteOne of the challenges in e-admin especially in developing countries is the citizens' inability to access administrative services online. Although we live in a society that has started the process of digitization, there are many who do not have access to electronic devices. In the cases where they do, many lack e-literacy. Therefore, governments may need to invest more in education of the population to ensure that e-admin serves the citizens. I do believe governments should continue to invest in e-admin and IT but they need to sustainably adopt strategies that will prevent data leaks and issues of confidentiality. This will require training of personal as well as educational campaigns for the public. Scamming and other unscrupulous activities have resulted in the loss money and strengthened the mistrust amongst citizens. Moreover, many citizens find the technicalities of online banking for example very tedious and frustrating. If we take these responses from the public and apply it to e-Admin, it is clear that digitization of administration is much more complex. I'd like to suggest that governments implement e-Admin in a phased basis to overcome the mistrust from the public as well as to ensure that each citizen has the opportunity to learn and adapt to a new system.
Another point to consider is the desire for efficiency. With any new initiative total efficiency is not guaranteed, however, e-admin's efficiency may be to the detriment of the citizen. In january, the government announced that public sector workers could use their website to access NHT returns. The concept was efficient because it meant that citizens would not have to go in but it became counter productive as it took very long to complete the form and caused some persons to become frustrated. In addition, the website lacked the stability to cater to multiple users at the same time. This is just one of many examples of efficiency that translated into even more challenges for users. Maybe governments may need to shift their focus to improving their customer via e-admin.
The text was very interesting and the examples (especially from the Caribbean) supported the comments. We have therefore come to understand that e-administration can offer many advantages in terms of simplifying administrative procedures and improving efficiency. However, its development must take into account the risks related to the protection of personal data. As mentioned in the blog, Kraemer and King (2003) already pointed out that the introduction of technology into administration did not necessarily mean structural reform, but rather a strengthening of existing structures. Among these weaknesses, cybersecurity can be a concern, as demonstrated by the many data leaks and cyber-attacks that have affected public administrations around the world. As for Radu and Pólkowski (2014) mentioned above, they insist that digitisation should not be at the expense of protecting citizens. It is therefore essential that the development of e-government be accompanied by a strengthening of cybersecurity protocols and clear regulations on the use of data, because otherwise citizens' mistrust could hinder the adoption of digital services. And then, it is also necessary to take care of the fact that while digitization can meet the need for efficiency and cost reduction, this digital technology must not affect administrative personnel jobs that could be «replaced». As a result, information technologies are now ubiquitous in administrative processes and their role is growing. Heeks (2001) explains that e-government is based on three levels of interaction: information, communication and transaction. This model allows us to understand how far these technologies can be integrated: from a simple consultation of documents online to the complete dematerialization of administrative procedures. However, the challenge is finding a rather complex balance between innovation and accessibility.
ReplyDeletePusvita and Muttaqin (2023) point out that the spread of digital services should not exclude certain categories of the population, in particular older people and those living in rural areas who would therefore not necessarily have access to the internet. Total digitisation, although attractive in terms of efficiency, risks widening the digital divide and excluding some citizens from the administrative system. It is therefore essential to maintain physical and human alternatives to ensure equitable access to public services.
For e-administration to develop effectively, it is necessary to consider several avenues that have been mentioned in the text, namely reducing the digital divide, strengthening cybersecurity and building citizens' confidence. To do this, according to Heeks, it is necessary to adapt the digital tools to different user profiles (establish "training" to "educate" citizens and children (citizens of tomorrow) the use of digital technology to be fully involved while developing Internet networks even in the most remote rural areas so as not to leave citizens behind. As for strengthening cybersecurity, Radu and Pólkowski stress the importance of a strict regulatory framework to frame data protection and prevent cyber-attacks. Finally, building the confidence of citizens is essential because Goldkuhl pointed out that administrative platforms are often designed to meet the needs of institutions rather than those of "politics as usual" users as Margolis and Resnick wrote. To address this, it is essential to involve citizens in the design process of digital services and improve transparency on data collection and use.
I agree with the sentiments expressed in the blog that it was insightful and interesting. The definition of e-administration was simple and clear, and it listed several advantages and disadvantages. I could see the intended direction of the blog post. However, while e-administration increases efficiency, reduces costs, enhances transparency and accountability, and improves accessibility and inclusiveness, I must agree with Abigail that the blog overlooked some key disadvantages. Issues like digital literacy and access to the internet and technology, especially among the most vulnerable populations, were not adequately addressed.
ReplyDeleteE-administration has presented many challenges in developing countries, and I would have appreciated a relatable example, particularly in the Jamaican context, to illustrate this point. One example that stood out to me as I read the blog was the Registrar General's Department (RGD) when it rolled out its online application process. This initiative allowed applicants to apply for services and make payments online. While this approach reduced costs and was more convenient for some customers, it also led to a reduction in clerical, customer service, and administrative staff at the RGD. Consequently, they had to train external individuals, referred to as "cyber vendexters," to assist the marginalized individuals who could not access the service for various reasons.
Although this development created a niche in the gig economy, it did not benefit those utilizing the service through these external agents, as they had to pay a fee in addition to the applicable cost for the service they were applying for. In essence, this ended up costing them more.
There are several examples that could be shared from both the public and private sectors to provide solid insights into the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of E-Administration. I would have appreciated seeing more of these examples.
Whoever submitted this comment need to add your name otherwise you do not get credit.
DeleteI submitted the comment anonymously by mistake, Dr. Wilson. My apologies. However, I resubmitted it correctly right afterwards. I'm not sure what happened to the second comment.
DeleteThe article offers a well-rounded view of the advantages and challenges of e-administration and its impact on governance, particularly through the lens of digitalization. On the positive side, e-administration streamlines government processes by reducing costs and increasing efficiency, which benefits both the public sector and citizens. By automating administrative tasks such as tax payment, voter registration, and identification, governments can provide more accessible services that can be accessed with just a few clicks, regardless of the citizen's social or physical status. The shift to digital platforms also allows citizens to actively engage in governance through feedback systems, public consultations, and e-voting, making them feel more empowered and involved in decision-making. This greater citizen participation fosters a more transparent and responsive government, as reflected in various global and regional examples, such as in the French Caribbean territories under President Macron’s reforms.
ReplyDelete