e-Parliament to e-democracy : creating a model for effective management of public content

Date
2012-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Information and communication technology (ICT) has facilitated the implementation of e-parliament to ensure representivity, transparency, accessibility, accountability and effectiveness of parliaments. However, the shift from e-parliament to e-democracy may require parliaments to focus not only on efficiencies but also on improving the quality of interaction leading to changes in behaviour that support democracy. The study explores the current set-up in respect of the implementation of e-parliament globally, the initiatives that are being made and the challenges being experienced. It does this by examining literature regarding the latest developments in e-parliament and recent surveys on emerging utility trends. Consideration is given to particular initiatives in the African context, such as the Bungeni information management system. These are aimed at facilitating the push towards democracy that is assisted by ICT (e-democracy). A comparative analysis focusing on policies, technology, practices and organisational culture in the implementation of e-parliament, as a transitional stage towards edemocracy, is made with respect to the parliaments or chambers of the Czech Republic, India, Kenya and South Africa. The outcome of this analysis has important lessons for the use of ICT to support democracy, particularly for South Africa. It also generates a number of issues, for example the importance of knowledge management and organisational design for improving the parliament-citizen interface, which require consideration by parliaments in general. A seamless platform for facilitating engagement between parliament and the majority of citizens is designed through the adaptation of the e-business model. The platform integrates ICT infrastructure, processes and human resource in a knowledge management environment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inligting en kommunikasie het die implementering van e-parlement gefasiliteer met die doel om verteenwoordigendheid, deursigtigheid, toeganklikheid en doeltreffendheid van die parlement te verseker. Die skuif van e-parlement na e-demokrasie kan parlement noodsaak om te fokus, nie net op doeltreffenheid nie, maar ook om die kwaliteit van interaksie te verbeter, wat weer sal lei tot gedragsverandering wat demokrasie ondersteun. Die studie verken die huidige toestand met betrekking tot die implementering van eparlement op `n internasionale skaal, die inisiatiewe wat onderneem word, en die uitdagings wat ervaar word. Literatuur wat die nuutste verwikkelinge saamvat, word ondersoek, asook onlangse opname aangaande opkomende gebruiks tendens. Dit is veral inisiatiewe in Afrika wat ondersoek word, soos byvoorbeeld die Bungeni Inligting bestuurstelsel. Dit word gedoen om die proses van demokrasie te fasiliteer wat weer deur Inligting en Kommunikasie tegnologie ondersteun word. `n Vergelykende analise wat fokus op beleid, tegnologie, praktyke en organisasie kultuur binne e-parlement, en die oorgangfase van e-demokrasie word gedoen oor die parlemente van die Tjeggiese Republiek, Indië, Kenia en Suid-Afrika. Die uitslag van die analise het belangrike lesse vir die gebruik van Inligting en Kommunikasie tegnologie om demokrasie te ondersteun, veral in Suid-Afrika. Dit genereer ook ander aspekte byvoorbeeld die belangrikheid van kennisbestuur en organisatoriese ontwerp om die parlement-burger interfase te verbeter. `n Platform wat die proses tussen die parlement en die burgers fasiliteer, is ontwerp met die aanpassing van die e-besigheidsmodel. Die platform integreer Inligting en Kommunikasie tegnologie infrastrukture, prosesse en menslike hulpbronne binne `n kennis bestuur omgewing.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
Keywords
Internet in public administration, Electronic government information, Public records -- Management, Dissertations -- Information science, Theses -- Information science
Citation