eGovernment emerges as key priority for Asian governments

 BANGALORE: A new IDC study has discovered that governments across the

Asia-Pacific region are launching ambitious e-government initiatives, using electronic

technologies to improve both internal operations and public service delivery.

Over the coming years, IDC forecasts governments around the world will increase their

spending on e-government initiatives as they devote more resources to e-enabling

government business functions and providing electronic services. IDC’s 2001-2003

egovernment forecast illustrates that spending on egovernment initiatives will claim a

growing portion of public sector IT spending in the years ahead.

"By embracing technology, governments are finding they can reap the same type of

rewards as ebusinesses," said Lisa Shishido, Senior Analyst eBusiness &

eGovernment, IDC Australia. "These rewards include more efficient business processes,

improved public services, and cost savings, allowing governments to do more with less

– all of which lead to greater satisfaction with government. It’s a chance to

transform their infrastructure and organizational structure, bringing them into the 21st

century," she said.

Of the five governments profiled, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Korea, and Singapore,

egovernment spending will grow the fastest in China at a compound annual growth rate of

nearly 40 per cent. Meanwhile, egovernment spending in Singapore and Korea will experience

robust growth at over 20 per cent over the forecast period, and egovernment spending in

Australia and Hong Kong will grow steadily at 15 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

"eGovernment is a key priority for many governments, and government spending is

relatively stable, even in times of economic hardship. This creates major opportunities

for IT vendors and service providers as the public sector seeks advice, products,

services, and partnerships in implementing egovernment projects," said Ms. Shishido.

"Governments in Asia/Pacific are still in the primary stages of egovernment. The

sophistication of their services and systems will grow and new opportunities will emerge

as they progress along the egovernment maturity curve," said Shishido.

"Currently, most governments are at the stage where they have a narrow focus on

providing electronic services and achieving agency-by-agency operational efficiency –

without fully considering the benefits they can achieve by approaching it as an ebusiness

transformation," she added.

IDC’s Asia Pacific eGovernment Strategies report (Doc#AP181102J) contains the

findings of a comprehensive study of egovernment initiatives in Australia, China, Hong

Kong, Korea, and Singapore. In conducting the study, IDC interviewed high-level government

officials and major technology/service providers.

Asia Pacific eGovernment Strategies addresses the key issues governments are facing in

moving online, with a focus on what each government is doing and why. It includes a

discussion of worldwide egovernment trends, challenges and opportunities for governments

and suppliers, critical egovernment success factors, rankings of each government according

to egovernment readiness, and market sizing and forecasts for egovernment spending.