Introduction to Electronic Government: Design, Applications and Management

Abstract

The concept of electronic government (eGov), sometimes electronic governance, is about to emerge from a practitioners’ concept to one that also attracts research. Conferences abound, and research scales up from individual researchers and projects to institutes, both those governed by industry, such as IBM’s Institute for Electronic Government1 and those governed by universities, such as the Center for Technology in Government at Albany University.2 Research and development programs such as the EU Information Society Technologies and Government Online are focusing on developing strategic and transferable IT (information technology) uses in government. Research institutes with the focus on policies and development focus increasingly on IT use, such as the Institute for Development Policy and Management at the University of Manchester.3 Countries and states establish ”Task Forces” in the field, and there is a rich supply of Web pages with titles like ”Electronic Government Resources,” where electronic services are offered.4