JeDEM - eJournal of eDemocracy and Open Government

Editorial 15(2)

Anneke Zuiderwijk — 2023-12-18

Blockchain Technology in Lands Registration: A Systematic Literature Review

Reyan M. Zein — 2023-12-18

Blockchain technology (BT) is increasingly important in digital government as a means of efficient information management, decision making and an instrument for reform. This study presents a systematic review of BT's potential and application in land registration within low-income countries. The study uncovers diverse approaches to BT implementation that are influenced by local conditions and government structures. The study reveals that while there is a burgeoning interest in this field, actual implementations remain limited. The key barriers include resistance from government officials and a lack of local BT skills. Public blockchains have shown a high tendency for adoption, indicating a shift towards more transparent relationships between governments and citizens. The Hyperledger Fabric platform emerges as a popular choice due to its ability to provide secure, scalable, and robust solutions. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the consensus mechanisms used, indicating a potential gap in current research practices. The study recommends an incremental approach to BT implementation, starting with non-threatening, transparent processes that could be expanded as part of broader government reform programs. Despite the potential of BT to revolutionize land registration systems and democratize tracking, it also poses a threat to existing power structures. Therefore, more robust empirical research is needed to evaluate the impacts and navigate the associated sociotechnical, legal, and institutional challenges. The study also proposes the establishment of a BT collaborative network among low-income countries to leverage shared experiences and develop a common framework for implementation. In the single instance where it was implemented in Georgia, public trust in government was restored. The study contributes to understanding how BT can be effectively harnessed to improve land registration systems in low-income countries.

A Glimpse into Botswana’s AI Readiness Landscape

Liah Shonhe — 2023-12-18

This study seeks to provide insights into Botswana’s AI readiness landscape. It was achieved by analysing secondary data from the Oxford Insights 2022- Government AI Readiness Index (AIRI). According to the AIRI, Botswana is in position 98, out of 181 countries surveyed. The major drawbacks to successful AI adoption were; a lack of AI strategy, limited capacity to support change, an immature technology sector incapable of supporting innovation, inadequate skills to support AI development, insufficient technological infrastructure to support AI, insufficient data to train AI models, and there are few use cases identified in the public sector. Despite these hurdles, the country is putting in efforts to transform digitally, and there are opportunities for improvement. The country is faring similarly, or even better than, regional peers but is lagging behind global peers in the upper middle-income group. Consequently, it is recommended that the government should start by developing an AI strategy to set the vision for AI adoption.

Changes in the Mindset of People in Pakistan about their Democratic System since the Regime Change

Muhammad Younus — 2023-12-18

The objective of this paper is to share the details related to the political situation after the regime change in Pakistan at the start of this year. After that, we have determined how this change impacted the citizens of Pakistan and what changes in the dynamics of their political thinking occurred. The researchers working on this research area are using ‘Qualitative Research.’ The Data for the research was taken from news sites, blogs, and social media; then, it was presented descriptively. The study in this paper makes us aware of the silent revolution in the way of thinking of the people of Pakistan and how they communicate their opinions with the government. This paper will only be limited to the extent to which each aspect of the change is being clearly described; it will also look at the possible solutions for resolving issues suggested by the people and how they should be implemented, and finally, what positive impact this regime change has had on people’s thinking.

Citizens’ Intention to Use the Palestinian e-Government Services Portal – An Extension of UMEGA

Rania Abdalla — 2023-12-18

With the wide spread of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), governments are increasingly employing them to better satisfy the demands of their citizens, and to advance their vision of sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to investigate the determinants of Palestinian citizens’ attitudes and behavioural intentions to use the recently launched e-government services portal. Using a revised version of the Unified Model of Electronic Government Adoption (UMEGA) that incorporates a multidimensional construct of perceived risk construct, this study addresses a gap in the e-government literature where most previous studies have used perceived risk as a unidimensional construct. The study is a quantitative study that utilizes a combination of purposive and quota sampling to draw the sample, 415 valid responses were collected from the study population, and then analysed using PLS-SEM. The findings revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and opportunity cost risk significantly influenced citizens' attitudes, which in turn, positively influenced their behavioural intentions.

Risks and Challenges to e-Justice Principles: Governing Remote Work, Online Hearings and the Use of Social Media in Chilean Courts

Reem Abou Refaie — 2023-12-18

The digitalization of justice is emerging worldwide partially due to the most common narrative surrounding digital government being; more efficient, cost-effective, and democratic. In an in-depth case study of the Chilean courts’ implementation of technologies during COVID-19, we questioned the dominant narrative of e-justice as “better justice” by borrowing from digital government literature and highlighting implications to e-justice principles. Derived from thirty-one (31) interviews with key stakeholders from the Chilean judiciary system, we provided evidence on how the e-justice principles are challenged by the implementation of digital technologies by court systems in Chile. The paper showed risks to justice work and due process in two main ways: bypassing traditional media scrutiny and limited governance of ready-to-use technologies in remote work, online hearings and the use of social media in judicial communications.This paper advances our understanding of the relationship between justice, digital technology, and government.

A Critical Success Factors for Data-Driven Decision-Making at Local Government: The Case of Indonesia

Djoko Sigit Sayogo — 2023-12-18

A question remains regarding the effective application of data as a basis for decision-making in public sectors. In relation, the objectives of this study are twofold. First, this study identifies factors affecting the local government official's propensity to use data for decision-making. Second, this study outlines the components of the effective application of data-driven decision-making in local government. Extensive in-depth semi-structured interviews with executives at the agencies and offices of the Regency of Bojonegoro, Indonesia, were conducted to gather the data. Our findings demonstrate two predominant institutional factors instigating the officials' inclination to use data in their decision-making: a) the accountability pressures and b) the hierarchical, bureaucratic structure. Our findings further signify the existence of three interrelated building blocks necessary for the practical application of data-driven decision-making: a) transforming quality data into knowledge, b) capable and motivated people, and c) appropriate tools/apps. Furthermore, culture and norms, institutional contexts, rules, and regulations shaped the functioning of the three components mentioned above.