The Place of E-Government in the Public Administration System

Lolaeva Al'bina Slavovna ORCID: 0000-0002-9021-7531 PhD in Law Docent, the department of Constitutional Law, Gorsky State Agrarian University; Docent, the department of Civil Law and Produre, North Caucasus Mining and Metallurgical Institute (State Technological University) 362027, Russia, respublika Severnaya osetiya-Alaniya, g. Vladikavkaz, ul. Kirova, 74, kv. 127 mirag.8184@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

The relevance of the presented research topic is due to the fact that at the present stage of society's development, there is a tendency to increase the role of digital technologies due to their rapid development and implementation in all spheres of life. The transition to the digital economy has contributed to the increased use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the work of public authorities, which has become a factor in the development of the concept of "electronic government" in the Russian Federation. Due to the transition to a new qualitative level in the public administration system, new requirements are imposed on the competencies of civil servants, which must meet the needs of digital transformation and complement traditional knowledge, skills, and abilities. After all, to increase the efficiency of public administration and the effective functioning of e-government, new approaches are needed in forming civil servant personnel competencies because a modern civil servant must be ready for innovation and have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the digital economy.

Based on the analysis of this problem in the literature, it can be concluded that the topic still needs to be studied in detail. Therefore, there are only a few theoretical and methodological works on the modernization and functioning of e-government in the Russian Federation. The reviewed works in this area show that the requirements for civil servant digital competencies have been superficially outlined.

The presented research aims to determine the place of e-government in the public administration system.

The object of this study is e-government as a tool for the modernization of public administration.

The subject of the study is the digital competencies of civil servants as a factor in improving the efficiency of public administration.

The theoretical and practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the system of civil servant digital competencies, which are necessary for working in an e-government environment, has been generalized.

The source base includes legislation in the field of e-government development and the use of ICT in the public administration system.

Materials and methods

The research used methods of scientific analysis and synthesis, deduction, and induction, as well as description, comparison, and analysis of secondary data methods.

The theoretical research is based on the works of other researchers, including O. A. Morozov, T. S. Melnikov, E. I. Dobrolyubov, and E. G. Vasiliev, who were engaged in determining the essence of e-government, its models, and stages of development.

S. G. Kamolov and V. V. Trofimov made a great contribution to determining the importance of information technologies in public service.

Results

Information technologies are currently subject to rapid development and active implementation in all spheres of public life, and public administration closely interacts with all social relations and processes. Modern states should not ignore existing innovative trends in a post-industrial society, where information is integral to political, economic, and social progress. Therefore, to promptly respond to the needs of society, ensure economic growth, and improve the efficiency of public administration, "e-government" technologies are being introduced.

The concept of e-government began in the late 1990s in the West, where it acted as an idea for the widespread dissemination of computer and information technologies in the activities of government agencies to improve the efficiency of civil servants.

E–government is the use of information and communication technologies in state structures against the background of organizational reforms and the formation of skills among civil servants to improve the functioning of state structures and increase the level of services they provide. This definition was proposed by the European Commission ^[1].

As we can see, in this context, the role of civil servants' skills in the information and communication sphere is important as it can influence the quality of the work of state organizations.

In the Russian Federation, the development of e-government began with the approval of the federal target program "Electronic Russia" (2002) ^[2], as well as with the program "Information Society (2011–2020)" ^[3]. It should be noted that in Russian legislation, the term "electronic government" is used to denote the "digitization" of public administration as an integral part of the state’s strategy to develop the information society.

To date, there is no unambiguous definition of "e-government." Therefore, the variety of interpretations of the term "e-government" can be divided into two groups: narrow and broad.

According to the narrow approach, this is the use of information technologies by public authorities in the course of their activities. According to this approach, there are no changes in the qualitative composition of the functions performed by the authorities, but only the form by which they interact with citizens and businesses changes ^{[4, p. 31]}.

Thus, the introduction of information technologies in itself does not contribute to improving the efficiency of public administration. Therefore, a broad approach to the definition of e-government at present will be considered more relevant.

According to a broad approach, e–government is a fundamentally new form of organizing the activities of public authorities. It provides a new level of convenience and efficiency for citizens and organizations to obtain information and public services through the widespread use of information and communication technologies. It is important to note that within the framework of this approach, the transition of public administration to e-government involves not just the informatization of all processes but, namely, a qualitatively new level of ICT use by public authorities that will allow the implementation of new models of interaction between the state and society ^{[5, p. 20]}.

Next, let's take a closer look at the existing types of this interaction:

1) G2C (government to citizens) model – between the state and citizens. The main purpose of the modernization of this type of relationship is to reduce and simplify the process of performing certain types of operations through web portals (for example, paying taxes, applying for benefits, etc.).

Thus, in Russia, there is a single portal for state and municipal services ^[6], where individuals and legal entities can receive public services electronically. A detailed list of tasks the portal solves is given in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 861 dated 24.10.2011 ^[7].

Considering that at the end of 2021, the number of registered users exceeded 100 million, it can be argued that this portal is in great demand ^[8]. Most often, citizens use the services to make an appointment with a doctor, register their children for kindergarten, get information about pension savings, register vehicles, apply for an exam at the State Traffic Inspectorate, and obtain a driver's license. Also, the top ten most popular services include registration and issuance of Russian and foreign passports, registration at the place of stay and the place of residence, and issuance of certificates of the presence (absence) of a criminal record.

2) G2B (government to business) model – between the state and businesses. This interaction involves the use of open state information for business, the relationship regarding public procurement, and participation in the regulatory impact assessment procedure.

Since 2016, there has been a functioning unified information system for procurement that contains information about the procurement contract system, from schedules to a detailed description of the stages of concluding a state contract ^[9].

Also, an example of the functioning of the "state-business" model in practice is the interactive information offered by the Federal Tax Service of Russia. The most popular in the business environment are: "Checking the correctness of filling out invoices," "Business risks: check yourself and the counterparty," and others.

3) G2G (government to government) – between different branches of government. The G2G model forms the basis of e-government because it is focused on the informatization of all management processes in public authorities and the use of specialized computer systems aimed at electronic interaction between various structures ^[10].

Thus, based on the above examples, it can be concluded that the complete examples of the implementation of e-government within the framework of the G2C, G2B, and G2G models are present in the Russian Federation.

Discussion of the results

So, we have revealed that the current trend of digitalization in public administration requires a new approach to the competencies and skills of civil servants. Before proceeding to the analysis of requirements, let's turn to the definition of the concepts of "digital literacy," "digital competencies," and "digital skills."

Digital literacy is an important tool that affects all areas of citizens' lives, including professional activities.

It should be noted that digital literacy means not only a person’s ability to use a computer—its concept is much broader.

Through digital competencies, we will understand specific skills with which a person can effectively use modern technologies, including interacting with other people using ICT, using and creating content, searching for information and exchanging it, synchronizing devices, and more ^{[11, p. 79]}.

Digital skills are the basis of digital competencies and represent automated behavioral models that, with the help of knowledge in the field of digital competencies, manage information through digital devices and networks.

By analyzing existing research and recommendation documents from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation, classifying the digital skills of public civil servants has been proposed in three levels:

· Basic level

· Advanced level

· Professional level

The Handbook of Qualification Requirements for applicants for positions in the State Civil Service and state civil servants contains the following basic qualification requirements ^[12]:

1. General knowledge concerning the use of a personal computer, including knowledge of hardware and software, security, and storage.

2. Knowledge and skills in PC applications. This includes knowledge of computer commands, the ability to work with files, as well as printing documents.

3. Knowledge and skills of working with office programs – skills working in text and graphic editors, preparing tables and presentations, as well as working with e-mail.

4. Knowledge and skills of working with the Internet – the ability to use search engines to obtain the necessary information.

Thus, the basic requirements are the lowest level of skills required for employees as they do not take into account the specifics of the activities of public authorities.

The advanced level involves a deeper development of digital knowledge by civil servants and an expanded range of knowledge, skills, and abilities in the field of computer science. At this level, it is possible to distinguish such knowledge as the basics of information security and the ability to use interdepartmental document management, working with databases, information and analytical systems, as well as project management systems.

Some experts suggest that employees should have expanded digital competencies for senior positions ^{[13, p. 30]}.

The third block, the professional level of competencies, is more focused on the specifics of the authority and the official duties of a particular civil servant. This may include knowledge and confident use of electronic archive systems, management of state information resources, and systems of interaction with organizations and citizens. A civil servant with digital skills of this level is capable of self-realization and using the latest information technologies.

In 2020, the Model of Digital Competencies was formed by the Center for Training Managers of Digital Transformation of the Higher School of Economics of the RANEPA, which would meet the existing digitalization needs in the Russian Federation ^{[14, p. 5]}.

The structure of this model is shown in the diagram below.

Fig. 1. Structure of the RANEPA Digital Competence Model

Next, we will analyze in detail which competencies are included in each structural block.

1) The block for basic digital competencies is similar to the above-mentioned basic level of competencies recommended by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

2) The block for professional competencies or hard skills are those competencies directly related to the functional application of skills and knowledge in the field of ICT in solving everyday tasks in civil service. They are measurable and have a direct impact on the effectiveness of the work performed.

This group includes the following competencies:

-Digital development management: the knowledge of the basics of Russian and international legislation in the field of the digital economy and digital public administration, as well as the ability to assess the technological development of the public administration system.

-Development of organizational culture: This assumes knowledge of the tools of organizational cultures and also their application in practice to manage organizational changes in public authorities.

-Management tools: a set of skills and abilities to use professional tools for managing public administration products, processes, and projects.

-Data management and use: This competence's key knowledge and skills are data collection and structuring and further analysis to build new or optimize old management models.

-Application of digital technologies: This competence includes civil servants' knowledge of the basics of end-to-end technologies and IT systems management, as well as skills in information security and cybersecurity in public administration.

-Development of IT infrastructure: A civil servant with this competence should be able to understand the technical documentation related to IT products and data storage systems in public authorities.

It should be noted that it is not necessary for all civil servants to fully possess the listed professional competencies in the field of digital development. If the specifics of their official activities do not provide for working with complex information systems, then perhaps the minimum level of skills and abilities will be sufficient to perform everyday tasks.

For example, if we consider the competence "Application of information technologies," then the ability to protect the information contained on a PC will be enough for an ordinary specialist, and if an information security specialist is serving in a public authority, then a higher level of proficiency in working with IT systems, including automation and design, is assumed.

3) The block of personal competencies in the field of digital development includes competencies that reflect the socio-psychological characteristics of a civil servant. Otherwise, they are called soft skills (soft, flexible competencies).

So, according to the model under consideration, this category includes:

- Focus on results. This competence aims to concentrate all available resources and opportunities to achieve the goals that digital development sets for itself.

- Client-centricity. This competence allows employees to show empathy, use feedback to improve their activities, and approach each consumer's problems flexibly.

- Communication is not only the ability to make the right choice in the strategy and form of conversation but also understanding the motives of other people and the skill of influencing them to solve professional problems.

- Emotional intelligence. This employee will be able to manage both their emotions and the emotions of other people and find it easier to cope with stress in the process of non-standard and complex situations.

- Creativity. Relevant competence in the era of digitalization because the ability to put forward original, unconventional ideas contributes to the introduction of innovative approaches to solving practical problems.

- Critical thinking. With digitalization, any employee is faced with a large flow of information, so the ability to critically treat all facts, verify their reliability, and subsequently systematize all information is important.

It is worth noting that these skills are non-specialized. Unlike hard skills, their presence is difficult to assess and measure in a particular civil servant. In the digital transformation era, the emphasis is shifting to the demand for soft skills, especially among managerial staff. However, personal competencies can never replace professional ones; only proportions can change depending on the employee's job responsibilities.

4) The last block of the Competence Model is digital culture. This is the element that every public authority should pay attention to in order to embark on the path of digital transformation in the Russian Federation, and civil servants, in turn, accept and try to maintain those values and attitudes that will help the digital development of public administration.

Conclusion

So, we have established that the digital competence of civil servants is quite dynamic. IT technologies are changing rapidly, becoming obsolete, and new ones are coming to replace them, so it is necessary to constantly develop in this direction. In view of this, to assess the formation of competencies, it is only possible to apply a universal model of digital skills for some civil servants. Therefore, it is advisable to identify the levels of competencies, as they will help determine the degree of effectiveness of the use of modern digital technologies in professional activities.

Summarizing the above material, we can conclude that e-government in the Russian Federation is in continuous development and is also an important tool for the development of the digital economy, which requires a revision of civil servants' digital skills. At the moment, there is a trend toward training personnel for digital public administration.

It was revealed that today in the Russian Federation, e-government, which is an important tool for the development of the digital economy, is in continuous development. There is already a tendency to transition to an electronic state. To get the maximum benefit from digital transformations in public administration, a new approach to the formation of the competencies of a modern civil servant is required because the lack of the necessary level of training can serve as a barrier to improving the efficiency of public administration.

Information technologies do not remain static. They are rapidly undergoing changes. As a result, the existing requirements for civil servants cease to be relevant in the period of digital transformation.

The legislation of the Russian Federation defines that official regulations establish the requirements for the knowledge and skills of civil servants. Therefore, a competence model should be adapted for each specific position, taking into account the specifics of the activities of the authority.