E-government
(also electronic government, digital government services)
E-government definition
E-government is a term that describes the practice of using computers, communication devices, and the internet to offer public services to citizens and tourists. It is when governments apply information and communication technologies (ICTs) to government functions, procedures, and activities. E-government can increase a country’s efficiency by making many different processes more accessible and convenient. It can also boost transparency and make citizens participate in more functions, such as voting or donations. E-government is a support tool that can help increase the quality of a country’s public services and share more information about decision-making processes, regulations, or rules with citizens. Some examples include filing taxes electronically, renewing personal identification documents online, and other similar tasks.
See also: digital information, network database
E-government benefits
- Better efficiency in different processes and tasks.
- Can be implemented in almost every government service.
- Improved internal productivity.
- Better flow of information between governments and citizens, as well as between government departments.
- Can decrease labor costs.
- More convenient for citizens and tourists.
Types of e-government
- Government-to-citizen. Government-to-citizen (G2C) is the most common form of e-government. Its goal is to provide information in a more convenient and accessible manner via the internet.
- Government-to-business. Government-to-business (G2B) is similar to G2C, except it focuses on providing businesses with relevant information, like new laws, regulations, tax updates, information on renewing or getting certain business licenses, registering a business, getting permits, etc.
- Government-to-government. Government-to-government (G2G) involves online communication between various government departments, organizations, and agencies. Every agency, department, and organization can use one database to share information and coordinate with each other.
- Government-to-employee. Government-to-employee (G2E) is the least common type of e-government, and it includes services like applying online for vacation, checking how many vacation days you have, detailed salary reports, etc.