E-Services Efficiency of Government Organisations in Asia

Introduction

The Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised the traditional mode of operations of the world governments. These technological advancements have brought in many advantages such as operational efficiency, reduction in cost, delivering quality services, convenience, innovations, and learning opportunities in several countries. Existing literature indicates that the private organisations responded and embraced the technological innovations at a faster pace compared to their public counterparts. Consequently, governments as public sector organisations in various countries have taken initiatives to integrate technological enhancements in their day to day operations partly for the convenience of their citizens and themselves and partly to keep up with the rest of the world.

Developed and Newly Industrialised Countries (NICs) have well developed eGovernment models due to their affordability to invest in infrastructures and their receptiveness to technological innovations. As a result, a majority of the public sector related services are available to citizens in developed countries and NICs through online channels via the Internet, thus leading to the fast and efficient processes and mechanisms in place. On the contrary, in the developing and subsistence countries, lack of proper infrastructure and low awareness levels of the governments and citizens to eGovernment implementation are the major obstacles in opening up these nations for technological innovations. eGovernment offers many benefits to their citizens by streamlining several public sector related operations and offering them to their citizens on a technological platform, thus reducing the time lag associated with the aforesaid. This feature has inherent advantages associated such as keeping their citizens satisfied with the services, offering the service to the required in a more efficient and effective manner, reducing citizens waiting times and increasing self-service options.

Though, developing countries in Asia are exhibiting astounding performance with regard to their economic growth and gross domestic product, the divide between the social classes in such nations is high and the transparency, accountability and corruption levels are at a questionable level. The receptiveness of the technological innovations by the governments, their employees and their citizens is just another issue in front of these countries in order to focus on reaping benefits from implementing eGovernment. However, once the different stakeholders associated with eGovernments are aware of the actual and potential benefits associated, there are expected to be enormous opportunities within these countries.

This chapter sets out to describe the economic situation, the technological advancements and the receptiveness levels of various stakeholders associated with the eGovernment mechanisms in the Asian context. The main focus of the chapter is to look at the nascent eGovernment processes offering e-services to their citizens and evaluating the effectiveness of these programs. For example, detailed information in the form of a case study eSeva in India will be provided. Similarly, factors influencing the effective eservices implementation by eGovernment in order to cater to the needs of their citizens such as political instability, trust in government, economic structure, type of government structure and the impact of the prevailing legal framework of the country would be discussed. This chapter also outlines and discusses the various challenges associated with the effective e-services implementation through the eGovernment projects. Practical implications are also discussed and workable recommendation presented.