Question

Which of the following statements is/are correct about the types of E-Governance interactions?

1. The Communal type exhibits high sociability and solidarity.
2. The Fragmented type is characterized by low sociability and solidarity.
3. The Networked type focuses on transactional services.
4. The Mercenary type has high solidarity but low sociability.

• A. i only
• B. i, ii, iv
• C. All
• D. None of these

Answer 1

Answer:

B. i, ii, iv

E-Governance: Interaction Types

• E-Governance involves the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to deliver government services, exchange information, communicate transactions, and integrate various stand-alone systems and services.
• It aims to make government more efficient, transparent, accountable, and citizen-friendly.
• Different models of E-Governance describe interactions between government and various stakeholders, including:
  • G2C (Government to Citizen): Services directly provided to citizens (e.g., birth certificates, tax filing).
  • G2B (Government to Business): Interactions with businesses (e.g., licenses, permits).
  • G2G (Government to Government): Interactions between different government agencies or levels.
  • G2E (Government to Employee): Services for government employees.

Understanding Interaction Types (Based on Sociability and Solidarity)

• This classification of E-Governance interaction types often categorizes how citizens and government engage based on two key dimensions:
  • Sociability: Refers to the extent of interaction, communication, and relationship-building among participants (citizens, government officials). High sociability implies frequent and meaningful engagement.
  • Solidarity: Refers to the degree of shared purpose, common goals, or collective identity among participants. High solidarity implies a strong sense of unity towards a shared objective.

Specific E-Governance Interaction Types

• Communal Type:
  • Characterized by high sociability and high solidarity.
  • In this type, citizens and government interact frequently with a strong sense of shared purpose and community.
  • Examples include online forums or platforms where citizens collaboratively address local issues, participate in policy-making, or support community initiatives with a common goal.
• Fragmented Type:
  • Characterized by low sociability and low solidarity.
  • Interactions are typically isolated and transactional, with little to no meaningful communication or shared purpose among individuals.
  • Examples include basic information dissemination websites or simple one-way service portals where citizens access information or complete tasks independently without engaging with others or building a community.
• Mercenary Type:
  • Characterized by high solidarity but low sociability.
  • Participants share a common goal or interest (high solidarity) but interact minimally or superficially (low sociability).
  • Their engagement is often driven by self-interest or a specific objective rather than community building.
  • An example could be a group of citizens uniting for a specific petition or legal challenge, all working towards the same outcome, but without forming strong personal bonds or extensive social interaction amongst themselves.
• Networked Type:
  • In the context of this specific classification (based on sociability/solidarity), the "Networked" type often implies high sociability but potentially low or moderate solidarity.
  • It emphasizes extensive interconnectedness, information flow, and collaboration among diverse actors (government agencies, citizens, businesses) through various digital channels.
  • The statement that it "focuses on transactional services" is generally considered incorrect as its primary defining feature in this framework. While transactional services are part of e-governance, the "Networked" type's essence lies in the complex web of interactions and information exchange across disparate groups, which goes beyond just transactions.
  • This type is more about facilitating complex information exchange and cross-sector collaboration rather than solely service delivery.