Chapter 1 Introduction

Table of Contents 1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 2

1.2 Background of the Problem .............................................................................................................. 2

1.3 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................................. 6

1.4 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................................... 6

1.4.1 Research approach and design ............................................................................................................. 6

1.4.2 Sampling and population ..................................................................................................................... 6

1.4.3 Data collection, research instrument and data analysis ........................................................................ 7

1.5 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................................. 7

1.6 Primary Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 7

1.7 Research Design ................................................................................................................................ 8

1.7.1 The Participants ................................................................................................................................... 8

1.7.2 The instrumentation used to collect data .............................................................................................. 8

1.7.3 The procedure for conducting interviews ............................................................................................ 9

1.8 Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................................... 9

1.9 Assumptions, Limitations, and Scope ............................................................................................. 10

1.10 Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 10

1.1 Introduction

E-Government is the ability of citizens, business to be able to transact with their respective

governments online using information communications technology. This ability allows all the

affected parties to be able to communicate their needs in a secure environment. Literature shows

that South Africa dropped significantly on the index of e-Government. In particular, the

networking potential offered by the Internet and related technologies has the potential to

transform the structures and operations of government. The South African government has

approved the implementation of Government Wide Enterprise Architecture Framework (GWEA)

as a minimum standard from which departments and agencies can start building their formal

plans for information and communication technology (ICT). This study will evaluate e-

Government services factors that affect its implementation as provided by SITA (PTY) Ltd and

make recommendations of how it can be improved.

This chapter will cover the background to the problem that has been identified and tie well with

the statement of the problem. The purpose of the study will cover the research methodology and

hence the next section will cover the body of knowledge through the significance of the study

just to show what is lacking in literature. The following section will cover the data collection

methods as applied in primary research questions and the design of the research will follow in

summary. The next section will cover the theoretical framework which would be supported by

the assumptions, limitations, and scope of the research and lastly a section on definition of terms

and the summary of the whole chapter.

1.2 Background of the Problem

E-Government as a multi-faceted notion that is defined as a continuous process of using ICT to

serve citizens and improve their interactions with the state (Fitsilis, Anthopoulos & Gerogiannis,

2009:1) has gained momentum in the developed world or nations. Palvia and Sharma,(2007:2)

argue that e-Government is utilising the Internet and the world-wide-web for delivering

government information and services to citizens. Fangs (2002:1) definition is correct in that the

use of ICTs in interacting with the citizens is more convenient and improves the quality of

service that is being offered by the government. The South African Department of Public Service

and Administration (2001:4) sees e-Government as an opportunity for citizens and business to

interact (even to conduct business) with government 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and to do so

using different means of communication.

It has been noted that in developing countries including South Africa, many projects of e

Government implementation have failed while others have added very little value to the

everyday lives of the citizenry. Broad reasons for the partial success or failure are related to

people, policy, process, infrastructure etc. This has happened because while technology can be

borrowed, every country has to study its own social conditions and needs and every organization

has to be aware of its own culture (Bhatt & Aggarwal, 2011:3). Nickerson (2000:56) is of the

view that information systems are not only components to being only of technical nature limited

to computers and code but also sees that the people, the processes, and the information are also

parts of an information system. This definition then brings two clearly distinguishable issues that

of society as a system and that of IT as the other. As pointed out by Magalhaes (1999:8) that the

world of business and organisations is changing and implementation of information systems is at

the forefront of these developments. Hence Chen (2003:9) believes that the application of

Information Technology in the production and delivery of public services has become

increasingly important to enable governments to interact with their citizens and business in an

ever transparent manner.

The successful implementation of any project or programme, for example e-Government, within

an organisation requires effective leadership (Spector, 2007:25). Organisations for their survival

need to be innovative and leaders who are leading them are also seen to be as innovative in

dealing with issues of information systems. These leaders must develop plans, explain to their

constituencies what action they going to take (Weiner, et al (2008: 293) when projects fail. In

turn effective leaders must appoint and support employees who will be responsible to lead the

change management process of e-Government (Fixsen, et al, (2005:5, Burke & Morrissey

2012:4). Strategic leadership is defined as the leaders ability to anticipate, envision, and

maintain flexibility and to empower others to create strategic change as necessary (Hitt, Ireland,

& Hoskisson 2007: 375).

Organisations worldwide have rules and regulation that are intricately woven in to policies and

procedures that govern them. Governance can be described as an organizations rules and

procedures that the organisation uses to fulfil its goals (Carrington, DeBuse, & Jin Lee, 2008:3).

Governance draws attention to the complex processes and interactions that constitute patterns of

rule (Bevir, 2010:2). The hierarchical nature of business organisations allows these rules to be

enforced in a governance structure of supervisor and subordinate. This is especially true in the

Public Administrations in that government departments are inter woven in acts of parliament that

regulate the function of government. Cordella and Iannacci (2010:3) believe that, ICT is

perceived, implemented and used in line with policies that grant an aura of stability to the

existent organisational arrangements.

e-Government services implementation pose unique challenges to change management because

they require the co-evolution of the front office service and related back office IS, (Nograek,

(2012:4). It can then be argued that change is in evitable, and that change is accompanied by

anxiety among the staff members in that a new culture of doing things will have to be

assimilated. Similarly a change management process in implementing e-Government services

needs to be adopted as a standard practice that will ensure that employees see the value in new

application of technology. The implementation of e-Government services poses its own risks that

must be documented as part of the critical success factors. Wagner (2001:395) puts it this way

that CSF is those implementation conditions that need to be met in order to ensure the success of

the project or system.

A critical factor of committed leadership at the top of the implementation of the e-Government

services is a prerequisite, where resources like financial as well as human are seen to be putting

the impetus on the delivery of the project there is bound to be success (Fountain, 2001:203-204).

Without top management support for projects the likely hood of failure is imminent hence it

becomes a necessity to have their buy in and involve them. Leadership forms the nucleus of their

organisational structures and as such must prepare them for optimum delivery. The structure of

an organisation has an impact on the implementation of e-Government services, bureaucratic

structures may make decision making a somewhat cumbersome exercise and they may not reach

the intended recipients. Latest organisational design theories argue that instead of having

bureaucratic structures, workplaces should have flat structures such structures enable to

managers to be in close contact with employees (Nah & Lau, 2001:291).

This has a direct consequence on the type of culture that organisations develop over a period of

time. There may be cultural practices that need to be eradicated and replaced with new ones that

will be effective in this implementation effort. Hailu and Rahman (2012: 89) think that

organisations also need to recognize the importance of cultural factors, affecting how employees

work together and with external partners. This is further compounded by the realities of how

organisations communicate their intentions to their employees. As Bhatti, (2005:4) maintains

that it is essential for creating an understanding, an approval of the implementation and sharing

information between the project team and communicating to the whole organisation the results

and the goals in each implementation stage.

Technology plays a very crucial role in ensuring that implementations of information systems are

a success. Technology factors such as IT infrastructure, legacy systems (Finney & Corbett,

2007:338), IT security, IT standards and expertise (Al-Shehry, 2008:178) must be addressed as

they are one of the most important CSFs that determine failure or success of the e-government

services implementation project. These must be addressed in the early stages of choosing the

type of implementation that the organisation will have. IT infrastructure will talk to issues such

as bandwidth, databases, servers, network layout; all of this plays a crucial role in ensuring that

e-Governments services implementation at whatever level becomes a success.

Gottschalk and Solli-Sther (2008:311) believe that the ability of government organisations to

share and integrate information by using common standards will yield the desired outcomes. The

sharing of such information through a standardised way suggests that it could create a security

issue. Al-Rahbi et al. (2012:10) argues that since e-Government services are offered online to the

public, IT security is extremely important. However that security is meaningless without some

form of financial backing and resources. The fiscus on the other hand is faced with the challenge

of ensuring that there is money that must be spent with the competing priorities of government in

general (Office of Government Commerce, 2008:9).

1.3 Statement of the Problem

According to the management report of 2010 SITA (PTY) Ltd, there are many factors affecting

the implementing e-Government services. In terms of governance, there is lack of vision and lack

of consultation. Also, there no is centralised budget for e-Government projects. The other

challenge faced by SITA is that of skills inefficiency to implement these e-government projects

on a larger scale and organisational culture. The latter hamper implementation because skilled

workers do not share information or they do not transfer knowledge. Furthermore, lack of

technology upgrading affects e-Government. In terms of process, employees are working in silos

- there are no collaborations, and e-Government is a non-integrated service delivery processes.

Based on the challenges mentioned, it is imperative to ask: what are the main factors affecting

effective implementation of e-Government services at SITA (PTY) Ltd?

1.4 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study will be discussed in chapter 3 in detail however below is the general

summary of the research and how it will be conducted in terms of the approach, sampling and

population together with the research instrument, data collection and analysis.

1.4.1 Research approach and design

A research approach deemed appropriate to assist the researcher to achieve the study objectives

is qualitative. SITA (PTY) Ltd will be used as a case study. Scholars argue that a case study

involves an intensive study of a single unit for the purpose of understanding a phenomenon or

problem better (Gerring, 2004:342; Onwuegbuzie & Leech, 2005:375-387).

1.4.2 Sampling and population

SITA (PTY) Ltd has 2700 employees, 130 of the employees are managers and senior managers.

Twelve (12) managers and senior will be selected utilising a purposive sampling technique (Yu

&Teddle, 2007:77). Selecting this sample will assist the researcher to solicit diverse views about

the challenges faced by SITA (PTY) Ltd in implementing e-Government services and how the

organisation can improve to implement the e-Government services effectively.

1.4.3 Data collection, research instrument and data analysis

Using face-to-face interviews, primary data will be collected from the respondents using a device

such as a cellular phone, such as an iPhone 4 or the Samsung Note II, which have recording

capability. A semi-structured questionnaire would be used to collect data and it will be

developed from the literature focusing on these factors affecting successful implementation of e-

Government services: e-governance, technology, financial, lack of skills and organisational

culture. The rationale of using a semi-structured question is that it gives a researcher an

opportunity to probe and solicit rich data from the respondents or participants (Creswell, 2012:

384). Atlas.Ti will assist the researcher to classify and code worded data. In the mini dossier the

researcher will synchronise data to be in line with the study objectives: e-governance,

technology, financial, lack of skills and organisational culture.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study will contribute significantly towards the body of literature and knowledge that is

available out there. The study will attempt to answer the question of factors that affect the

implementation of e-Government services from SITA (PTY) Ltd. This new knowledge that will

be gained will primarily be used by management, and the government department (DPSA) that is

tasked with the policy direction of e-Government in South Africa. SITA (PTY) Ltd as an entity

of government will also gain valuable insights as to what it should do going forward.

1.6 Primary Research Questions

The primary research question the following objective:

To identify governance, technology and financial factors that affect effective implementation

of e-Government services at SITA (PTY) Ltd.

1.7 Research Design

The research design is a summary of the methodology and contains a brief outline of three things: (a) the participants (b) the instrumentation used to collect data, and (c) the procedure that will be followed.

1.7.1 The Participants

The participants will be selected because of their:

Familiarity and expert knowledge in IT and e-Government initiatives;

Experience in previous government solutions implementation; and

Continuous research engagement regarding e-Government services.

Occupational Class No of Participants Division

Executive Management 1 Government Solutions and Standards

Divisional Heads 2 Chief Strategy Officer

Government Information Management

Senior Managers 3 Government Solutions & Standards

Advanced Specialist 3 Government Solutions & Standards

Senior Specialist 3 Government Solutions & Standards

Total 12 Government Solutions & Standards

1.7.2 The instrumentation used to collect data

The interview is a flexible tool for data collection, enabling multi-sensory channels to be used:

verbal, non-verbal, spoken and heard (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2007:349). Using face-to-

face interviews, primary data will be collected from the participants using a cellular mobile

phone, the Samsung Note II, which has recording capability. The researcher developed the data

collection questionnaire in a form of semi-structured interview guide. Before the actual data

collection, the researcher will need to pilot the semi-structured interview guide in order to gauge

how it will work with the participants. Scholastic understanding of piloting is that, its the initial

testing of the questionnaire/interview framework with a small number of participants that will

give an indication of where, how to structure data collection (Sampson, 2010:51; Maxwell,

2008:227; Ritchie and Lewis, 2003:134). The interview guide framework had five questions and

a number of sub question under each heading.

1.7.3 The procedure for conducting interviews

The procedure to be followed is that an initial questionnaire will be emailed to the participants so

that they could get a feel of the questions. The data collection exercise will be performed by the

researcher himself and it will be cheaper than employing external people. Appointments will be

set up with the respective respondents, it is hoped that this will be conducted in a boardrooms of

the company where the atmosphere is ambient and conducive to dialogue. A confidentiality and

anonymity will be verbally agreed upon as per the ethics governing research. Since the

researcher was known and trusted by the participants it is hoped that they would share their

daily challenges and experiences freely. Prior to data collection, the researcher requested

permission to conduct the study from SITA (PTY) Ltd which has been granted.

1.8 Theoretical Framework

This research will attempt to explore and investigate the key factors that affect e e-government

service implementation at the State Information Technology Agency herein referred as SITA

(PTY) Ltd. It develops a conceptual framework on the basis of socio-technical systems approach

that emphasizes a two way continuous communication system of technology and organisational

environment. Therefore, this research has identified factors that affect the implementation of e-

government services and thereby aiding governments and SITA (PTY) Ltd in accessing what is

required to increase adoption. We will also highlight some research, practitioner and policy

implications for the future.

1.9 Assumptions, Limitations, and Scope

It can be argued that assumptions are self-evident truths that are clear to the researchers frame of

reference. The basic assumption is that participants are highly qualified people in the study. It

can also be assumed that participants will answer truthfully and accurately to the interview

questions based on their personal experience, and that participants will respond honestly and to

the best of their individual abilities. This frame of reference is postulated on the premise that the

participants are in their levels from a hierarchy point of view due to their competence, skill and

knowledge.

The studys limitations are based on the fact that as a researcher you have no control over such

things for example if participants refuse to answer certain questions in the interview framework.

It could happen that the potential for biases from a researcher point of view might pose a

challenge but these will be dealt with in a systematic way by avoiding them altogether. It is

hoped that personal perceptions and reality of the organisation will play a minimal role in the

framing of the final report.

The scope of this research will be limited to the number of participants as identified in chapter 3

and elsewhere in this chapter. The location of where this study is confined to SITA (PTY) Ltd

within the Government Solutions Services Unit. The study can be generalized to other similar

environments within government institutions and in academia as well.

1.10 Summary

Chapter 1 has covered the entire contents of this research in terms of how it will be conducted in

practical terms. This chapter covered the background to the problem that has been identified by

the researcher which is the factors that affect the implementation of e-government services the

general population from a SITAs point of view. The statement of the problem was articulated in

as the perceived lack of skill and the fact that South Africa has fell from the world rankings in

terms of e-Government. The purpose was also put out as the research approach, sampling

methodology and data collection research instrument and data analysis.

The significance of this study was identified as that of contributing to the body of knowledge and

literature in the e-government space. The primary research question was formulated to

complement the research design. Participants to the study were identified together with the

research instrument and the procedure that was followed. The chapter also identified the

theoretical framework and the underlying assumptions, limitations and scope of the research.

1.1 Introduction1.2 Background of the Problem1.3 Statement of the Problem1.4 Purpose of the Study1.4.1 Research approach and design 1.4.2 Sampling and population1.4.3 Data collection, research instrument and data analysis1.5 Significance of the Study1.6 Primary Research Questions1.7 Research Design1.7.1 The Participants1.7.2 The instrumentation used to collect data1.7.3 The procedure for conducting interviews1.8 Theoretical Framework1.9 Assumptions, Limitations, and Scope 1.10 Summary