E-Governance Overview

E-Governance and Knowledge Management

• The World Bank defines e-government as using information technology by government agencies to transform citizen, business and other governmental relationships.
• E-governance is a process which values citizen participation, using information and communication technologies to improve service delivery.
• E-Government has four stages:
  • Stage 1: Information: Government agencies provide essential information to citizens via websites, fostering knowledge and awareness.
  • Stage 2: Interaction: Two-way communication between government and stakeholders, including citizens, business people and other interested groups.
  • Stage 3: Transaction: Electronic transactions between stakeholders and the government; simplifying processes like online payments.
  • Stage 4: Transformation: Government use of technology to fundamentally alter service delivery, improving efficiency, and boosting citizen satisfaction.

Types of E-Governance

• G2E (Government to Employees): Internal relationships to enhance efficiency in business processes, including skills for government goals, programs, human resource management, budgeting, and accounting.
• G2G (Government to Government): Enables government institutions to be more efficient using electronic reporting, documentation, scanning, verification, and live fingerprinting.
• G2C (Government to Citizen): Includes public services like transportation, driving licenses, tax and fee collection, and medical services, aiming for equitable information distribution and citizen feedback.
• G2B (Government to Business): Government-business relations enabled by ICT, focused on activities like business licensing, tax payment, and other electronic instructions.

Electronic Governance in the Philippines

• 1990s: National Computer Center was founded to promote information and communication technology.
• 2000: Information Technology and Electronic Commerce Council (ITECC) was established to promote electronic commerce. Republic Act No. 8792 (E-Commerce Act) regulated domestic and international electronic transactions.
• 2010-2016: Benigno Aquino III Administration focused on transparent government. Philippine Digital Strategy was implemented to integrate ICT and improve online services.
• 2016-2022: Rodrigo Duterte Administration enhanced e-governance, especially during COVID-19, using the Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
• 2022-Present: Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Administration aims for "One Digitized Government" by improving digital infrastructure.

E Readiness

• The Networked Readiness Index (NRI) measures countries' ability to use information and communication technologies. The Philippines ranked 84th out of 134 countries in 2023, with a lower score compared to their income group and to other Asian countries, according to the NRI.
• The IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking indicated a decline in the Philippines' ranking from 56th to 59th place in 2022, being the lowest placement since 2017. Singapore is the most advanced technologically advanced nation in ASEAN.

EgovPH Application

• A mobile application developed to simplify government-citizen transactions.
• It's citizen-centric and includes integrated e-government services, simplifying the use of various government services.

Knowledge Management into Practice

• Knowledge Hierarchy: Skyrme and Amidon propose a hierarchical structure with data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. Moving higher on the hierarchy involves integrating and applying knowledge.
• David Gurteen Analogy: The concept of baking a cake is used to illustrate the difference between data, information, and knowledge.
• Knowledge Management: KM is a process for gathering, storing, finding, creating, sharing, using and reviewing information and expertise within an organization.
• ICTs and KM: ICTs (e.g., databases, CMS, collaborative applications) support KM strategies, improving decision-making, efficiency, and service delivery in public and other agencies.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI can automate tasks like data analysis, content generation, and knowledge discovery improving accessibility and actionability.

Knowledge Management Cycle

• Determine Required Knowledge: Identifying what knowledge is needed to meet customer needs
• Consider Existing Knowledge: Evaluating the existing knowledge available
• Acquiring Required Knowledge: Ensuring there is a strategy to acquire required knowledge, both internally and externally
• Transfer Knowledge: Making knowledge accessible and usable by bundling it in IT systems and organizational structures.
• Sustain, Update, and Protect Knowledge: Ensuring the knowledge is in a sustained and updated form.

Three Types of Knowledge

• Explicit: Easily articulated, written, shared, e.g., manuals, documents.
• Implicit: Application of explicit knowledge in various contexts, practical knowledge and skills that can be transferred.
• Tacit: Gained from experience, hard to express or communicate, like insights, intuitions, and decision making skills.

Basic Concept of Knowledge Management

• Knowledge Creation: Driving innovation through research, problem solving, collaborative engagement, and organisational learning to improve business practices.
• Knowledge Capture and Storage: Documenting, storing, and using knowledge, including written materials, databases, reports and video recordings for future use.

Knowledge Sharing

• Sharing knowledge using meetings, training, digital platforms, or creating communities of practice for easy internal knowledge access.

Knowledge Application

• The ultimate goal is effective use of knowledge to improve decision-making, processes, and performance.

Knowledge Retention

• Capturing and preserving knowledge to avoid loss when employees leave or retire; includes mentorship, interviews and formal documentation.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

• ICT is a vast array of resources and tools, from telecommunications to the internet, used for data processing, management and communication.

Importance of Knowledge Management in Public and Private Sectors

• Crucial ICT tools and platforms (like databases, intranets, cloud systems) are essential for capturing, storing, and distributing knowledge, boosting decision-making, collaboration, and new knowledge creation.
• Openness to market changes is vital for both public and private sector organizations.

ICT Tools Supporting Knowledge Management in Public and Private Sectors

• Cloud-based platforms allow flexible and adaptable knowledge storage across organizations. This ensures accessibility of information across various locations, promotes effective teamwork, ongoing learning, and data-driven decision-making.

Collaboration Tools and Platforms

• Effective communication and real-time knowledge sharing are especially crucial for industries like technology startups and BPOs, using platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet.

Data Management and Analytics Systems

• These technologies allow organizations to transform raw data into more actionable knowledge; using platforms like Tableau and Power BI for visualization and analysis, enabling insights for smarter decisions.

E-Governance Initiatives

• Initiatives like the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) aim to enhance transparency and efficiency in public financial management.

Open Government Data (OGD)

• First Wave: Emphasizing transparency and accessibility, breaking down confidentiality barriers.
• Second wave: Web 2.0 facilitated communication and problem-solving using open data.
• Third Wave: Partnerships with private industry and civil society to benefit marginalized communities.
• OGD is information offered by public institutions, building transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Legal Basis for OGD

• Section 28, Article II, and Section 7, Article III, of the 1987 Philippine Constitution support the policy of full public disclosure and the public's right to information.

Role of ICT in Open Government Data

• ICT (including hardware, software, internet, telecommunications, media), enables open data management.
• Central hub platforms (like the Philippine Open Data Portal) promote widespread access to government data.
• eReport Systems allow citizens to report issues and provides real-time feedback

Challenges of Web-Based Participatory Approaches

• Digital literacy levels vary, access to reliable digital devices and the internet is uneven, and security and the privacy of sensitive data remain concerns for online citizen participation.