Understanding eService strategies in countries with different level of instability

comparative study

Authors

  • Abraheem Alsaeed PhD Researcher in the School of Computing The University of Portsmouth United Kingdom http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9279-6389
  • Adams Carl, Dr. Researcher-School of Computing Faculty of Technology The University of Portsmouth United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5958/2347-6869.2017.00015.2

Keywords:

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

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.

Article DOI : 10.5958/2347-6869.2017.00015.2

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Understanding eService strategies in countries with different level of instability: comparative study

Published

25-08-2017

How to Cite

Alsaeed, A., & Carl, A. (2017). Understanding eService strategies in countries with different level of instability: comparative study. SOCRATES, 5(2), 74–105. https://doi.org/10.5958/2347-6869.2017.00015.2

Issue

Section

E-Government