Connection between e-government and spatial research

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to find out if spatial research (such as geography and regional science) can play a role in examining e-government or not. If the answer is yes, which questions are relevant for a geographer in this research topic?

Firstly, the definition of e-government and the difference between the meaning of e-government, e-governance and e-administration are described. Examining e-government is a fresh and new, interdisciplinary research area. Some of the disciplines which analyze e-government, such as economics, public-administration management, history of science and information-society policy have their own definitions and keep their own focus on a specific topic when examining e-government. Secondly, the aim of this study is to investigate the main research questions of other disciplines.

Finally, the history and the role of public-administration geography are described as well and we tried to determine a way of how to interpret the main research questions of publicadministration geography when attempting to investigate e-government from a spatial aspect.

With regard to public-administration management and the information-society policy one of the main challenges consists in creating an inclusive e-government, overcoming the digital divide, which manifests itself in social, economic and regional inequalities. Geography and regional science could have a role in describing these types of inequalities and methods to reduce them.

Generally speaking, public-administration geography has two main problems: on the one hand, determining the number and the nature of government entities (such as local authorities, provinces, regions) and on the other hand, the challenging issue of horizontal extension. The development processes of public administration have a strong connection with electronization. Geography and regional science could involve e-government and the aspect of virtual space to solve the public-administration geography’s main problems.