e-Readiness analysis for Economic and Social Opportunities: a perspective for systems development in e-Government

Abstract

During the last decade leaders in government, business, and social organizations worldwide have considered how best to harness the power of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for systems development. Experts have pointed out that in order for organisations to put ICT to effective use, they must first be "e-Ready" in terms of ICT infrastructure, the accessibility of ICT, the legal and regulatory framework, computer skills and above all, end users’ attitudes towards electronic information and communication technologies. Managers in Government and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) have been urged to use e-Readiness assessment to measure and plan for ICT integration, focus efforts from within, and identify areas that can be used during systems development. Several e-Readiness initiatives have been launched to help organisations and countries in this respect, and numerous e-Readiness assessment tools have been created and used by different groups, each tool looking at various aspects of ICT, society, and the economy (Bridges.org, 2005). The underlying focus of the study was to look at the potential of being e-Ready in conjunction with the social and economic success that the government can achieve in sustaining ICT initiatives. e-Readiness analysis includes a comparative analysis of the economic and social statistics of South Africa supported by the statistical calculations of the data collected by means of a questionnaire. The researchers agree with the observation of the International Telecommunication Union (2003) that to measure the ICT picture in full, new multi-stakeholder partnerships will be required, involving not only the statistical agencies that are traditionally responsible for conducting surveys, but also policy-makers, the private sector, civil society, multilateral organisations and others involved in the ICT arena. The potential of being e-Ready in conjunction with the social and economic success that the government can achieve in sustaining ICT initiatives seems to be a difficult but a worthwhile achievement.