Hatem A. ElKadi

Channel choice and the digital divide in e-government: the case of Egypt

This paper examines channel choice and the digital divide in Egyptian electronic government or e-government. Citizens have access to a variety of service delivery channels when they initiate contact with their government, ranging from e-government to more traditional channels such as the phone and in-person visits to a government office. This paper examines the extent of use of both contact channels for citizens and the impact of the digital divide on channel use. A public opinion survey of Egyptian citizens was analyzed, and the results showed that there was a digital divide in the use of e-government by citizens. The digital divide also extended to other contact channels such as the phone and when citizens used multiple contact channels for public service delivery. The results of this study imply that for the development of e-government, especially in the context of a developing country such as Egypt, policy-makers need to understand that e-government is one of many channels that citizens can use when they initiate contact with their government. The results of this study should encourage policy-makers to recognize the importance of public service delivery in a multichannel environment. Shirin Madon is the accepting Associate Editor for this article.

Setback and remedy of local e-government projects: a case study from Egypt

The numbers of successful implementations of e-government projects in developing countries are noticeably low. Yet, there are few studies that focus on the long-term sustainability and success/failure factors of such projects. This paper analyzes the factors responsible for the initial success and subsequent sustainability or setback of a local-government project that was implemented in two sites in Egypt. The findings reveal that although technological, process, and structural factors play a distinctive role in the success or failure of e-government project, the main source of success lies within the management will and actions.

Factors Affecting Perceived Effectiveness of Local E-Government in Egypt

An important area of e-government research is how different stakeholders perceive the impact and the use of e-government systems on the different channels of governmental services. The objective of this article is to examine the perceived effectiveness of local e-government systems through a survey of directors in different Egyptian cities. The approach to accomplish this objective is to conduct exploratory factor analysis and regression analysis to determine what factors explain e-government effectiveness. This research adopts a model that uses the citizen-initiated contacts with government literature as a way for understanding e-government effectiveness. Results of an exploratory factor analysis reveal that e-government effectiveness is explained by management capacity, security and privacy, and collaboration. These factors were then analyzed through regression models that indicated that management capacity and security and privacy influenced e-government effectiveness. However, there was no evidence that collaboration had a statistically significant impact on e-government effectiveness. This paper fits into the theme of the special issue since it suggests strategies to better design e-government technology for local governments in Egypt through changes in security, privacy, and management capacity.

ICT to enhance administrative performance: a case study from Egypt

Egypt has achieved considerable steps in the use of ICT in administration since the mid 80s. The Egyptian e-Government program - formulated and launched in 2000 - operates on two major axes: (1) providing services through new and easy channels, and (2) updating the systems of governmental work. Since its start, the program developed several pilot projects to probe their feasibility. Many of these projects matured and are currently in the roll out phase. This paper presents work done in one of these projects; work and decision making enhancement in the Investment Department in Matrouh Governorate. The project involved three areas for enhancement: (1) re-engineering of business processes, (2) a Management Information System (MIS) for the governorate administration, and (3) a Geographical Information System (GIS). The paper - briefly - discusses how information and communication technologies were deployed to enhance decision making in one governmental entity in Egypt.

e-Alexandria 2005-2010: A multi-perspective analysis

The Egyptian local e-government programme was established in 2002 to enhance both the quality and efficiency of government systems. The e-Alexandria project, initiated in 2003 represents a milestone in this programme. The project incorporated seven councils that underwent technical, business and work-environment restructuring. This involved architectural remodelling, renovations, furnishing, technological infrastructure setup and back office preparations, as well as personnel training and backlog data entry. Later extensions included content development and an online services portal. This article presents a brief review of the process of constructing e-government systems experienced through the e-Alexandria project, which has continued to evolve over a full decade. The article provides a view of three services, namely elevator installation permits, street occupation permits and retail shop licences, as these are very important local government services for communities. The article uses the Lenk and Traunmuller (2000) multiple perspectives to document the public service reforms that occurred in the introduction of e-government. It comments on continuation of the local e-government programme post the January 25th revolution.

A large signal equivalent circuit model for multielectrode laser and microwave semiconductor lasers for CAD applications

An equivalent circuit large-signal model of semiconductor lasers for microwave applications is presented. The model is implemented on SPICE software and is based on a modified set of single-mode rate equations. The carrier density in the active region is related to the potential at the terminals of the active region by a polynomial approximation of the Fermi integral. Different recombination mechanisms (Schockley-Hall-Read, spontaneous, and Auger) are represented by separate terms and not as a global constant lifetime. The model also accounts for saturable absorption occurring in the case of multielectrode lasers. Different applications are presented. A study of the behavior of a multielectrode laser with saturable absorber under static, transient, and small signal conditions is performed. The study shows the bistability of this type of laser and predicts and extremely wide band up to the millimeter-wave range. Another application of the model is the matching of the impedance of the laser to the 50 Omega of the microwave source using a passive reactive circuit.<<ETX>>