{
  "id": "RL34104",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL34104",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 348256,
      "date": "2007-07-23",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T17:59:34.127029",
      "title": "State E-Government Strategies: Identifying Best Practices and Applications",
      "summary": "Although electronic government (\u201ce-government\u201d) is currently one of the leading approaches to government reform, a lack of coordination or communication between various initiatives increases the risk of creating more so-called \u201cislands of automation\u201d and \u201cstovepipes\u201d within and between levels of government. To address these issues, Congress is actively overseeing e-government initiatives and is attempting to work with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and state governments to identify best practices, standards, and strategies.\nThis report is based on research conducted under contract by the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs as a Policy Research Project (PRP). For this project, graduate students in the Masters of Public Affairs program at the LBJ School of Public Affairs undertook a two semester research program in 2005-2006 to identify some of the best practices in e-government strategies and management being carried out by state governments. Surveys were sent to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, yielding 38 completed surveys. The study also included site visits to six case study states: California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Texas, Utah, and Washington. A set of core questions was used for each case study interview along with state-specific questions. Based on the results of the surveys and interviews, the students identified several critical factors that influence state e-government programs. They are summarized below:\nStrategies are essential to e-government formulation because they provide objectives for state agencies and governments. The report identifies and analyzes numerous types of strategies.\nOutsourcing is a controversial issue in many states, with a spectrum of policies represented across the country, ranging from prohibiting outsourcing, to near total adoption of outsourcing.\nFunding is an important issue because IT projects are costly and success is uncertain. Legislatures must choose between programs and, in many cases, e-government competes with other priorities.\nState politics and culture can impede or support e-government development. While IT can alter employee and agency functions, such enhancements do not typically cause agencies to be eliminated.\nStrong leadership can support e-government programs and drive IT improvements by encouraging and promoting new projects.\nThe degree of centralization or decentralization is a key component in e-government management because it affects the level of interaction between agencies. Web portal centralization is a common trend among many states, and it is often separate from agency organization and decision making. E-government performance measures are essential in evaluating the success of programs, identifying challenges, and addressing specific formulation and implementation challenges.\nThis report will not be updated.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
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}