Technology and Government

BUSINESS

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Technology and Government

Introduction

Information and Communication Technology cannot be wished away to day in the global environment, from commerce to industries and even government operations. ICT has affected virtually all aspects of human life in the way people, governments and businesses interact with each other. There is rapid diffusion of the internet, mobile telephony and broadband networks as some of the best examples of how pervasive technology has become today. ICT is considered as one of the vital building blocks of modern societies and digital economies (Varian et al., 2005). However, it should be noted that the readiness and pace of the application of these technologies is dependent on a number of social and political factors in any region of the world or the world at large (OECD, 2009).

 New technologies have the potential to threaten even the existing power settings and economic relationships (Beer, 2011). On the other hand, the numerous applications of ICT has brought about transformational potential and its usage seen as an important tool for organizing political dissent in nations globally (Hirschfeld, 2012; Serageldin, 2011).

From a governance point of view, the adoption of eGovernment need not to be emphasized as it is clear that the benefits that accrue from it are enormous. The ultimate goal of eGovernment is good customer service to its citizenry and increased portfolio of public services to citizens in an efficient and cost effective way. The benefits that accrue from eGovernment include efficiency, better accessibility to public services, improved service delivery, and enhanced transparency and accountability (Atkinson & Castro, 2008).

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of information technology on public sector and public service globally and in MENA region, examine the challenges in embracing ICT in the sector by focusing on capacity, mindset, implementation issues, and citizens’ expectations and take a review of the evolving strategies on smart government and innovation of the UAE. The first part discusses literature review in regard to the impact of ICT globally and in MENA region, followed by a look at the issues, impact on governance and finally case of the UAE strategies.

Literature Review:

Impact of Information Technology on public sector and public service globally and in MENA region.

It is no doubt that eGovernment is the simplest form of ICT that provides access to governmental information and delivers public services to citizens and business partners. However, it is important to note that there must exist a background that can support such initiatives. In this section, we take a look at some of the concepts and studies done in relation to the impact of ICT on public sector in the world. As said, the average public expectations in government efforts are usually shaped by the ability of the very government to successfully improve the quality of life of her citizens. It is the responsibility of any sound government, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa to ensure that their policies, regulations and systems encourages the participation of citizens and addresses the need to improve public services delivery. Accordingly, public service delivery lifecycle must be reengineered and redesigned so as to meet the expectations of the citizens in a bit to enhance their social security and quality of life.