{ "id": "RL31057", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL31057", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 100478, "date": "2003-01-28", "retrieved": "2016-05-24T19:59:27.172941", "title": "A Primer on E-Government: Sectors, Stages, Opportunities, and Challenges of Online Governance", "summary": "Electronic government (e-government) intersects many legislative issues, including privacy,\ndigital\ndivide (the lack of equal access to computers, whether due to a lack of financial resources or\nnecessary skills), public access to government information, service delivery, and information\nsecurity. E-government solutions are prominently represented in efforts to improve the management\nand efficiency of government information technology resources. To help policymakers discern\ne-government initiatives relative to their role in various issues, this report identifies and defines the\nprincipal e-government sectors and stages of development. It also outlines some of the opportunities\nand challenges associated with e-government.\n \n Some observers define e-government in terms of specific actions such as using a kiosk to\nreceive job information, or applying for Social Security benefits through a web site. Other observers\ndefine e-government more generally as automating the delivery of government services. While\nperceptions vary widely, one organization, The Gartner Group, summarizes e-government as\n\u201cthe\ncontinuous optimization of service delivery, constituency participation, and governance by\ntransforming internal and external relationships through technology, the Internet, and new\nmedia.\u201d \n \n E-government initiatives could have implications for federalism. One of the hallmarks of a\nfederal system of governance is the emphasis on vertical divisions of power. In contrast,\ne-government initiatives utilize information technologies that emphasize a horizontal, or networked,\nmodel of communication and interaction. While e-government is designed, in part, to dissolve the\nbarriers separating different agencies, it could also have a similar effect on the boundaries of federal\ngovernance.\n \n Although e-government encompasses a wide range of activities and actors, three distinct sectors\ncan be identified. These include government-to-government (G2G), government-to-business (G2B),\nand government-to-citizen (G2C). Each of these sectors represents a different combination of\nmotivating forces and initiatives. However, some common goals include improving the efficiency,\nreliability, and quality of services for the respective constituency groups. \n \n Due to a variety of technical, economic, and political reasons, e-government initiatives take\ntime to evolve into their full potential. Consequently, one can divide e-government projects into four\nstages of evolution: presence, interaction, transaction, and transformation. Each successive stage\nrepresents an augmented capability to provide information and services as interactive transactions\nonline. \n \n Finally, proponents and critics of e-government recognize that there are a variety of\nopportunities and challenges involved with the successful implementation of e-government\ninitiatives. Some of the potential opportunities include new services, increased citizen participation\nin government, and an enhanced national information infrastructure. Some of the potential\nchallenges include information security and privacy, disparities in computer access, and management\nand funding requirements. This report will be updated as events warrant.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31057", "sha1": "b14b7cc244ebd7da6bb64f8542bc5f66f8dd7723", "filename": "files/20030128_RL31057_b14b7cc244ebd7da6bb64f8542bc5f66f8dd7723.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31057", "sha1": "f9c7fdba9ec2b27e38e7481e1cbca8d75c43f4fd", "filename": "files/20030128_RL31057_f9c7fdba9ec2b27e38e7481e1cbca8d75c43f4fd.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs3121/", "id": "RL31057 2002-03-28", "date": "2002-03-28", "retrieved": "2005-06-11T19:41:50", "title": "A Primer on E-Government: Sectors, Stages, Opportunities, and Challenges of Online Governance", "summary": "Electronic government (e-government) intersects many legislative issues, including privacy, digital divide (the lack of equal access to computers, whether due to a lack of financial resources or necessary skills), public access to government information, service delivery, and information security. E-government solutions are\r\nprominently represented in efforts to improve the management and efficiency of government information technology resources. To help policymakers discern e-government initiatives relative to their role in various issues, this report identifies and defines the principal e-government sectors and stages of development. It also outlines\r\nsome of the opportunities and challenges associated with e-government.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20020328_RL31057_8d0eff549cf75fd45166922d375574e40f40c4e9.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20020328_RL31057_8d0eff549cf75fd45166922d375574e40f40c4e9.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Government information", "name": "Government information" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Electronic government information", "name": "Electronic government information" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Legislative Process", "National Defense" ] }