Introduction
Modernization and improvement are the natural aspects of civilization development. Different spheres of society are regularly subjected to changes under the influence of modern technologies and the development of the digital sphere. The emphasis on innovation is the evidence of the effective use of progress, and in the realm of government, changes are also inevitable. As an example, it is possible to consider the power structure of the UAE, the state that puts enough effort to ensure citizens’ happiness, economic prosperity, a quality education system, and development in other fields. According to Halaweh, today, the country moves ahead actively and “aims to achieve the objectives of UAE Centennial 2071 (which defines its ultimate goal to be the best country in the world by 2071)” (270). This perspective is real, given the fact that appropriate measures are taken in relation to restructuring the system of the state government.
The work on the organization of a new management system based on using modern digital technologies and assessing Internet users’ opinions is one of the priority areas indicated in the course of the UAE development. A virtual government that is also called e-government, which means electronic, aims to strengthen interaction with the population and help people by providing a more transparent system of power. However, clear mechanisms for transforming the current apparatus into a virtual one are not indicated, and a specific frame is not mentioned in the official reports. Therefore, it is essential to consider the current results of the work done and to determine the methodology that can contribute to achieving the desired innovations.
As justifications for the proposal, the academic articles of various authors will be used and analyzed in the context of the topic under consideration. The answers will be given to a number of related research questions that are associated with the mechanisms of a virtual government, its features, and implementation challenges. A conceptual framework for adopting and introducing the renewed apparatus will be considered, and the rationale will be given regarding the features of this process. An appropriate methodology may help to achieve the successful transformation of government entities into a virtual system as part of the working plan for modernizing the power mechanism by 2071, which is designated as the official UAE vision project.
Literature Review
Quite many academic articles are devoted to the study of the phenomenon of a virtual, or digital government and its impact on the governing system in the countries of the Arab region and, in particular, the UAE. Halaweh considers this type of power and calls it the natural course of development since UAE “is the first country in the world to appoint a State Minister for Artificial Intelligence” (269). This approach to organizing the system is assessed by the author as the mechanism of the modernization of the entire governing branch by 2071, which is the official development program (Halaweh 270). Social implications are described as the positive results of the e-government regime implementation. Halaweh notes that significant results will be achieved in the educational sphere, economics, and the labor market, as well as the overall citizens’ well-being (271). Nevertheless, despite the positive assessment of the upcoming innovations, there is no mention of any mechanisms conducive to achieving the described merits of the state program and strengthening the proposed system of government. Therefore, the article lacks information regarding the means of implementing the developing the program, which is a research gap.
Klischewski assesses the merits of introducing the e-government in the countries of the Arab region and the nuances that accompany this process, noting that social media is actively involved, reflecting the efforts of the officials (361). The relationship between the population and the authorities is considered in the context of the opportunities provided by the modern means of communication, and as an example, the author cites electronic election campaigns designed to implement the virtual system of power (Klischewski 361). However, some gaps are noted as constraints that slow down the transformation process. According to Klischewski, governments in the Arab region engage “interactive applications for political participation and responsiveness of citizens;” nevertheless, not enough free access to current information is provided, which makes it impossible to evaluate a new concept comprehensively (361). The process of incorporating social media is at an early stage, and the representatives of the governing structures should pay more attention to changing the mode of operation in accordance with the planned changes.
Another study on the transformation of standard government principles into virtual ones was conducted by Janowski who notes that the transition to such a system of power organization is accompanied by a number of constraints (221). The new regime is considered as a set of measures taken in order to make access to citizens’ opinions freer and transform the traditional mechanisms of control and management into digital ones. According to Janowski, “Digital Government is subject to regular patterns of growth,” which means that despite innovative approaches introduced by officials, the typical features of development and difficulties are manifested in the process of transformation, for instance, the establishment of power centralization (223). As strategic decisions that are relevant in the context of attempts to reorganize the administrative apparatus, the author proposes to pay attention to the evolution model that provides for the gradual transformation of government branches – the introduction of internal mechanisms, external interaction, and further steps (Janowski 225). Based on this model of work, the transition to the new system will be relatively easy, and the authorities will be able to realize their ideas to the full extent.
Meijer and Bekkers also begin their study by mentioning the limitations in studying the sphere of the e-government and the gaps that hamper the search for actual transformation mechanisms (237). The roles of stakeholders are marked as essential, and the participation of different parties is evaluated regarding the completeness of the power structure transformation. The authors pay attention to the fact that the “strategies to foster interaction, participation, collaboration, and information sharing among government agencies and between government agencies and other social actors such as citizens, businesses, and non-profit organizations” depend on stakeholders’ involvement (Meijer and Bekkers 242). The assessment of current findings proves that many researchers focus on the implications of introducing virtual governing mechanisms but do not consider the transformation process. In this regard, Meijer and Bekkers offer to use the metatheory as the means of evaluating the significance of changes, the role of stakeholders, and the nuances of the whole process of power transition to the new regime (243). In case the sectors involved in this work are active in relation to changes, the formation of the virtual government will be phased, and difficulties will be minimized.
Al Athmay focuses on the implementation specifics of a virtual government directly in the UAE and considers the state a favorable environment for the introduction of this plan (161). According to the author, “e-governance goes beyond simple service provision and builds interaction with the diverse stakeholders of government through the integration of people, processes, information and technology” (Al Athmay 160). It means that among the factors influencing the quality and consequences of the power system transformation, the involvement of different social sectors takes a significant place. Despite the fact that, as Al Athmay remarks, the UAE has already developed the concept of introducing the virtual regime of interaction between the authorities and the population in seven emirates, the plan “is unlikely to be realized without substantial citizen adoption and active participation in e-governance initiatives” (174). Therefore, additional attention should be paid to not only the technological base but also the issues of attracting stakeholders and promoting the concept in question among the population.
In the study conducted by Alomari et al., citizens’ concerns are cited regarding barriers to introducing the form of e-governance as the main mode of interaction with the population. The authors note that people express their distrust in relation to the technological infrastructure and doubt that the corresponding digital database may be created in order to meet the needs of all stakeholders (Alomari et al. 142). Also, as barriers, gender issues may be affected since, for instance, there are some restrictions imposed by society on women and their rights to use Internet access in specialized cafes (Alomari et al. 143). One of the difficulties may be a religious background because, according to Alomari et al., “e-government is Western-made technology, which is more compatible with the social and cultural life of Western countries” (143). As a consequence, challenges may arise with the implementation of certain ideas, for example, the spread of provocative information through the Internet, which is unacceptable under the laws of Islam. Therefore, these residents’ concerns regarding the difficulties of introducing e-governance need to be taken into account.
Lupilya and Jung also focus their research on the barriers to the e-government implementation, but the scope of their study is Tanzania and not the countries of the Arab region, although, in this state, most of the population also adhere to Islam (148). As the main challenges that are typical for this region, the authors note cybercrimes and data security issues (Lupilya and Jung 147). The need to provide the required protection for the digital base imposes certain obligations on the developers of the virtual system, and the inability to implement appropriate security measures makes the process inefficient and illogical. As a recommendation, Lupilya and Jung argue that “government should focus on developing an e-government master plan and on building a strong local data center;” otherwise, the authorities will not be able to keep all the stored information in secret and prevent cybercrimes (149). In this regard, it can be noted that one of the conditions associated with the virtual system of government interaction with the population is to ensure comprehensive digital assets protection in order to avoid valuable data loss and the failure of the innovation strategy.
Conceptual Framework for Adopting and Implementing Virtual Government
As a specific framework that may allow government entities to transform into a virtual form of power effectively, it is possible to apply the strategy of introducing digital applications into different spheres of life and stimulate citizens’ interest in exploring the new ways of interacting in parallel. According to the results of the literature review, there is a gap in the data regarding the means of transiting from one form of power to another. In this regard, the concept of change may include the phased equipping of the existing virtual base with access to various government services and the training of the population in working with newly available services.
Educational Sphere
To implement the project of a virtual government within the framework of the UAE educational system, it is necessary to assign official representatives responsible for access to information in the country’s institutions. As Halaweh notes, only one university offers a specific degree of artificial intelligence in the country (271). Therefore, the scope of opportunities should be expanded, and more establishments should be involved in the system of digital information exchange. Transformation implies students’ and tutors’ free access to government boards, an opportunity to share opinions on current problems in education, and resources to obtain relevant data on innovations directly from members of the governing apparatus. If innovations are presented correctly, the level of the education system will improve, and stakeholders in this sphere will be able to appreciate the merits of the new regime.
Economics and the Labour Market
Economic growth due to the introduction of a virtual government is possible if all the sectors of the country maintain an electronic document management system and provide employees with access to databases. The project of transition to the digital principle of interaction implies equipping enterprises with modern facilities that may allow them to receive certain orders directly from the authorities, avoiding mediation and the hierarchical structure of power. Opportunities for the labor market can be increased due to the timely notification of residents about possible vacancies and employment in accordance with dynamically changing indicators. As a result, the number of unemployed citizens of the UAE may be reduced through the active use of available digital resources.
Citizens’ Happiness
Achieving the well-being and happiness of residents of the UAE is possible by transforming from the traditional form of government into a digital one. According to Halaweh, the significant manifestation of such work is the lack of bias and misunderstanding in solving the problems of those who seek help from the authorities (272). The modernization project involves the free contact of citizens with the representatives of the governing apparatus and abilities to access services that allow leaving personal feedback and suggestions. The aforementioned possibilities of improving the labor market provide the citizens of the country with an opportunity to choose among the available vacancies freely, which eliminates corruption and bribery. In general, the prosperity of the state may be achieved due to the freedom of expression and the prospects for personal and professional growth.
Methodological Practices
To implement the innovation plan for the transformation of government entities into a virtual government, it is necessary to determine appropriate methodological concepts to enable the introduction of changes. As such a technique, the practice of modernizing the country’s current digital base is required, and responsible persons are to be appointed. In individual emirates, the members of local governing groups should be entrusted with control over the phased introduction of an electronic interaction system among the individual branches of government, and subsequently, among social sectors.
The authorities of the state should encourage the involvement of professional IT specialists in order to not only develop appropriate software but also to ensure the security of information flows spread through such a large network. At the same time, the practice of interviewing local residents may be essential since the wishes of residents regarding certain nuances of the new system’s work may help to adapt it to specific needs. In this regard, the individual groups of government representatives should conduct a large-scale qualitative study aimed at assessing the opinions of the UAE citizens concerning proposed innovations. In case of a consensus on certain peculiarities of the system, the government is to do everything possible to realize the wishes of the population.
Overcoming barriers and challenges in the process of achieving goals is one of the priorities that should be taken into account by the UAE government. Regarding the potential problems that citizens mention, in particular, the inability to create a stable functioning database with free access for all Internet users, it is necessary to develop the mechanism of work. The implementation of changes will take place in stages, and the following steps can be implemented:
- The study of citizens’ opinions through surveys and compiling statistical reports based on the most popular responses to questions about the optimal model of the operation of a virtual government and the problems that it can solve.
- Engaging professionals from various fields, including IT developers, analysts, and other individuals who can assist in the development of the system.
- The organization of relevant sections and databases, as well as assigning responsible persons in charge of specific social areas and monitoring the stable work of the project.
- Ensuring the security of information flows in the e-government system by controlling user activity and preventing possible cyber attacks.
- The continuous replenishment of databases with new sections and chats to expand the sphere of a virtual government influence and provide an opportunity to cover most social spheres comprehensively.
This methodology may allow creating a stable and valuable system that can help citizens to establish contact with the authorities of the UAE and simplify the solution of various issues in different social spheres. Based on this practice, the official boards will be able to obtain substantiated feedback on the activities of government agencies, thereby strengthening their authority among the citizens of the country and helping to improve the work of the state industries. Positive feedback on the new project and the improved performance of those areas that are included in the range of influence of the new government will be the results of successful work.
Conclusion
The development of a relevant methodology and the assessment of the measures that need to be taken are the valuable mechanisms aimed at implementing a virtual government project in the UAE to modernize the system of interaction with the population by 2071. Based on the literature review, it can be noted that potential challenges and barriers can be overcome when taking into account specific factors accompanying the introduction of the new system in different social spheres. The conceptual framework of this project may include the significant expansion of the digital base and ensuring citizens’ stable access to the services of government officials.
Works Cited
Al Athmay, Alaa Aldin Abdul Rahim A. “Demographic Factors as Determinants of E-Governance Adoption: A Field Study in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).” Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, vol. 9, no. 2, 2015, pp. 159-180.
Alomari, Mohammad Kamel, et al. “Exploring Citizen Perceptions of Barriers to E-Government Adoption in a Developing Country.” Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, vol. 8, no. 1, 2014, pp. 131-150.
Halaweh, Mohanad. “Artificial Intelligence Government (Gov. 3.0): The UAE Leading Model.” Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, vol. 62, 2018, pp. 269-272.
Janowski, Tomasz. “Digital Government Evolution: From Transformation to Contextualization.” Government Information Quarterly, vol. 32, no.3, 2015, pp. 221-236.
Klischewski, Ralf. “When Virtual Reality Meets Realpolitik: Social Media Shaping the Arab Government-Citizen Relationship.” Government Information Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 3, 2014, pp. 358-364.
Lupilya, Emmanuel Constantine, and Kwangho Jung. “E-Government Transformation in Tanzania: Status, Opportunities, and Challenges.” Korean Journal of Policy Studies, vol. 30, no. 1, 2015, pp. 147-184.
Meijer, Albert, and Victor Bekkers. “A Metatheory of E-Government: Creating Some Order in a Fragmented Research Field.” Government Information Quarterly, vol. 32, no. 3, 2015, pp. 237-245.