eGovernment & ICTs: An Examination of Spain's Information Infrastructure

Stringer-Stanback, Kynita

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/15231 Copy

Description

Title

eGovernment & ICTs: An Examination of Spain's Information Infrastructure

Author(s)

Stringer-Stanback, Kynita

Issue Date

2009-02-08

Keyword(s)

• Spain
• eGovernance
• ICTs
• Digital Divide
• Information Infrastructure

Abstract

Richard Heeks defines eGovernment as, “the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve the activities of public sector organizations”. eGovenment has two distinctive parts, the first, service transformation and administrative reform, and new forms of democratic participation and engagement, as the other. In other words, governments are developing systems based on ICTs to better inform their citizens and spark more democratic participation. The Internet has proven to be more than just a source of commerce and entertainment--it has also proven itself to be a new medium of communication, mobilization and interaction between citizens and their governments. The 21st century has moved the entire world closer together. Travel across the globe can happen within hours, and the Internet further shrinks the distance between cities, states, and countries. The proliferation of information on the Internet gives people more access to information, and allows them to organize and mobilize political movements. This paper will explore eGovernance in Spain and Europe. Spain will be examined within the context of its membership within the European Union and will be compared with eGovernance within other parts of Europe. This paper will also examine Spain’s development of a National Information Policy. The relationship between government and commercial interests will be discussed as well. This paper will examine practices and challenges presented in other parts of the globe, specifically in “developing” nations. Finally, several strategies will be offered to address the challenges discussed. First, an examination of the development of libraries within Spain is necessary. By contextualizing the development of libraries within in Spain, the development of ICTs and eGovernment is given a foundation.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/15231

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