The Communicative Government

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The use of e-government for the private sector is not a recent phenomenon. Since the early1990s, state and local governments used electronic mail and the web to communicate with groups of people. But e-government projects have not only been used for the private sector, they have also required federal agencies to use electronic procedures in their daily process and procedures.

There are benefits for adopting a web based human service on states and local governments, such as efficiency gains, cost savings, and service improvements. E-government can be seen as a way to organize internal processes, for example and automated workflow can reduce the amount of time people spend inputting and processing information. It also allows numerous individuals to access data at the same time.

The reduction in cost is a big reason why state and local government decide to implement e-government. For example, people spend much time filling out applications in person, and the process and production of paper also adds to the cost. Online applications have made this process easier for everyone because functions are now automated. Governments also reduce cost by posting information on the web, instead of printing and distributing advertisement or mail. In numerous states the web is used to accept applications and to decide eligibility of the customer and in some cases applications can be downloaded from their websites. Some systems not only verify if customer will receive benefits, but also review if customer is qualified for other programs.

States where service is web-based, customers will also benefit. Customers reduce traveling time, time of personal interaction, and time spent waiting for the government’s response. Web technology gives customers rapid access to documents and information, enabling the staff to have more time to give service to clients with special needs. E-government also collects data and enables states to improve their services.

E-government projects cost millions of dollars to put into action and years to plan. One option to consider before implementing e-government is to develop a return on investment analysis, because it determines the cost and benefits of applying an e-government project. Once a decision has been made to develop an operation of e-government, there are different ways to fund a project. Productivity funds, share in savings agreements, leasing funds, and private sponsorship are ways to initiate a process. Some states prefer commercial advertisement and transactions fees to finance for these projects. 

Sources: http://76.12.61.196/publications/servicedeliverychallengese-govIN.htm