DEVELOPMENTS IN E-GOVERNMENT:A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN IRELAND ANDTHE NETHERLANDS

Jongmans, Maarten, Erasmus University, Statenweg 420, 3033 JA Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 289471mj@student.eur.nlJanssen, Bas, Erasmus University, Boezemweg 177c, 3031 BH Rotterdam, The Netherlands, bas@student.eur.nl

Abstract

The name that is given to the use of electronic means to deliver better government is E-Government. It is important to note that E-government can never be a goal in itself; it is a way toimprove the efficiency and effectiveness of the government and its communications. In this paper,we compare the developments and integration of services regarding E-government in Ireland and The Netherlands. We looked at problems that were encountered by both countries, and how theywere dealt with. Based on these findings, we formulated an advice on how to make further improvements to E-Government facilities in the near future for both countries.Our research showed us several interesting things. What we saw was that developments and growth in E-Government Services and registered E-Government users in Ireland fall behind compared to the same kind of developments and growth going on in The Netherlands. There isnot one cause that we can name for this outcome, but several reasons became clear during our research. The low internet penetration in Ireland could be one cause, only 52% of the populationhas an internet connection. Other reasons are that Irish people have always been suspiciousregarding their government and the lack of a killer application.

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Introduction

Arrange your new passport; request a permit to build a barn; pay your taxes; vote for your political party; all examples of services that can be provided by E-Government. In this paper wegive a description of E-Government and try to discover the differences in use and sophisticationof E-Government Service brokers.Our attendance to the Study project of VRiSBI

(the student association for the programEconomics & Informatics of the Erasmus University Rotterdam) is our motive to do researchabout the subject E-Government. The subject of the study trip is “Innovation in the ICT”. Butwhat is innovation? Several definitions are possible; the one we regard as the one that covers our feeling about innovation the most is from the British Department of Trade and Industry.“

Innovation is the successful exploitation of new ideas.

”We chose this definition because we feel innovation is not only about implementing newtechniques but also about exploiting them successful. As we both had an interest in innovation inthe governmental and public healthcare sector, we did some research on what subjects would beinteresting to write a paper about. Ireland and the Netherlands popped out to be both active on theterritory of online service brokers (DigiD and Reach; these brokers will be explained later on).These service brokers where implemented not so long ago and are still under continuousdevelopment, which means they can be regarded as innovative, following our definition.As Europe is becoming a unified economy, the differences between EU members will diminishmore and more, over the coming years. Although countries are ‘coming together’, there still thereare a lot of international differences in various subjects. In this paper we show these differencesin the E-Government area, between Ireland and the Netherlands.

1.2

Research Question

As we where visiting Dublin in Ireland with the study trip it was a logical step to make someform of comparison in our research. That’s why we compared the developments and integrationof services in E-government in Ireland and The Netherlands. We looked at problems that wereencountered by both countries, and how they were dealt with.Based on these finding we tried to formulate an advice on how to make further improvements toE-Government facilities in the near future for both countries. This advice can be read in chapter six of this paper.This said, our main research question is:

What are the differences between The Netherlands and Ireland in E-Government measured by useand sophistication, and how can these E-Government ‘missions’ be improved?

We narrowed our scope, because otherwise our research subject would be to big. This followed,the sub-question are:

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How does the government succeed in using the potential of ICT to improve thecommunication with citizens?

http://www.vrisbi.nl

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What kind of innovative E-Government projects are currently under development? Is this asuccess-factor?

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Which problems did both governments encounter in their development of E-Governmentservices, and creating a broad interest within the population?

1.3

The Scope

E-Government is about a lot of different systems, applications and services. Also thecommunication partners (citizens, business and government departments) can be different. Wehad to create an understanding about what we wanted to explore in order to have a valid research.That is why we have put the following constrictions on our research:

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We narrowed the subject of E-Government to the delivery of services to citizens andgovernment departments. We didn’t look at E-Government in the business area, because thatwould be too broad.

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E-Government services are very broad, which is why it is hard to make direct comparisons between them. To make a generalization, we only considered the Public Service Brokers:Reach and DigiD.

1.4

Structure

This paper consists of six chapters. The first is the introduction, what you are currently reading.In this chapter we want to introduce the subject and define the research question and the scope.Chapter two is about the history of E-Government. A brief introduction on how E-Governmentdeveloped in the past 15 years to what it is right now: especially with the influence of Europeaninitiatives. The methodology used is explained in chapter three. In chapter four we give anintroduction into E-Government in Ireland and the Netherlands. There is a specific section aboutthe e-government projects we researched (Reach and DigiD) in this chapter. Chapter five brings adiscussion about what the problems and successes are with the use and sophistication of E-Government. Our advice to the on how to deal with the identified problems that are currently of big influence on the E-Government programs is given in chapter six. Also some further researchtopics, and the lessons learned are displayed here.

WHAT IS E-GOVERNMENT

To outline what in our opinion E-Government means we first want to show an official definition

E-government Refers to the federal government’s use of information technologies (such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing) to exchange information and services withcitizens, businesses, and other arms of government.

This definition of the website of the White House is a generally excepted, but in our opinion E-Government is not only something the federal government should deal with, but is also of concern to regional or local government agencies.Our own definition is

E-Government refers to the government’s use of information technologies to exchangeinformation and services with citizens, businesses, and other arms of the government.

In our research we analyzed the communication of the government with the public in general and between government departments, through the use of ICT.

http://www.whitehouse.gov