SOCRATES

Alsaeed Abraheem ¹, Carl Adams ¹

Affiliations
1 School of Computing, The University of Portsmouth, GB

Abstract

This study proposes a conceptual framework which captures the main factors (both enablers and barriers) influence and contributes toward a successful implementation of eServices in countries that have unstable status. In such countries, eService is still necessary and governments face extra challenges in their provision, however, academic literature that covers transformational eGov activity in periods of geopolitical instability is uncommon. Our aim is to address this gap in the literature by identifying factors that might affect the success of such implementation. We use the example of Syria and other developing countries facing similar challenges to tackle this problem. The paper draws upon Osborn and Gaebler's work, 'reinventing government', which identifies 10 principles of government transformation. This is used to examine eGov examples in the case of Syria along with previous work covering barriers and enablers to eGov activities within countries that have unstable status. The resulting derived conceptual framework provides a base to understand eGov activity for nations going through geopolitical uncertainty.

Keywords

Instability, eGov, eService, Barriers, Enablers, Framework.

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Alsaeed Abraheem ¹, Carl Adams ¹

Affiliations
1 School of Computing, The University of Portsmouth, GB

Abstract

The implementation of eGov initiatives requires a robust strategic planning to succeed. Its successfulness can be full, partial or can result in failure. The gap between strategy and implementation determines to what extent the process of the initiative has developed. The smaller the gap between strategy and reality means that more activities have been implemented successfully. In our study we undertake a comparison of eGov strategies among countries at different levels of instability. It highlights the different approaches for implementing activities, and thus directs policy makers in highly unstable societies to important aspects and to embrace gaps during the implementation process. Consequently, the lessons learned by adopting best practice from different contexts enhances the process of activities’ development in an unstable environment. Our aim is to emphasise the factors that influenced strategic planning in societies with different levels of stability to adopt eService successfully. This comparison study explores the eService strategies among three cases namely: eGov Strategy in Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Although the three cases are different in their levels of instability, they have geographical, cultural and demographic similarities that make them the perfect choices for our study. The comparison sources are based on the information available from government reports and documents, related online publications, portals, and United Nations’ reports, surveys and statistics. The result reveals the approaches that each government had adopted in order to reach their eGov potential. We apply the Reinventing Government approach by Osborne and Gaebler (1992) as a theoretical framework. By using their ten principles of transforming governments this provides understanding about the context and issues of providing eGov services within the three case studies and to what degree each case strategy has influence on the activities implemented.

Keywords

eGovernment, eService, Instability, Strategy, Syria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Reinventing Government.

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