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| The Role of Information Technology in Public Administration in South Western Uganda. A Case Study of Kabale Municipality, Kabale District
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Friday Christopher, Ntirandekura Moses, Mbisi Enosh Muhindo, Masembe Muhammad, Tumwijukye Ruth Komunda
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Abstract:
The study was about the role of information technology in public administration and the objectives of this research are as follows; To examine the role of Information Technology in public administration, to identify the challenges encountered in using Information Technology by public administrators, to establish the strategies to improve Information Technology for effective public administration. The study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches, with a cross-sectional survey design. It was both quantitative in that it would be based on variables measured with numbers and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study targeted a population of 60 and which included workers from the IT department. The sample population was selected from the research population based on their sex and 60 respondents were chosen. Questionnaires and Interviews were used in data collection. majority of the respondents of 72% of the total respondents agreed that information technology play an important role in public administration, 15.2% of the total respondents disagreed and only 12.8% of the total respondents were not sure. This implied that the respondents were aware of the roles played by information technology in public administration and therefore, proper implementation and great emphasis to have it improved was important. Technology accelerate development, spearhead growth and eliminate inequalities had 37.8% of the total respondents who strongly agreed, 23.2% of the total respondents agreed. 17 respondents were not sure, 10% of respondents disagreed and only 12% strongly disagreed. Information Technology can be viewed as resources that are vital to the daily tasks of individuals within the organization had 30% of the total respondents who strongly agreed, 17.3% agreed, 2 1.6% were not sure, 15.7% of the total respondents disagreed and 15.4 of the total respondents strongly disagreed. IT allows information to be exploited to a far greater degree and this helps to stimulate performance had 45% of the total respondents who strongly agreed, 12% agreed, 18% were not sure. 23% disagreed and 2% strongly disagreed. It helps in empowering employees and enabling management to exercise greater control over employees had 40% of the total respondents who strongly agreed, 30% agreed, none of the respondents was registered for not being sure, 19% disagreed and 11% of the total respondents strongly disagreed. It helps public organizations to share and disseminate information had 29% of the total respondents who strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 11% were not sure, 6% disagreed and 24% of the total respondents strongly disagreed. majority of the respondents represented by 70% of the total respondents agreed that there were barriers of information technology for effective public administration, 20% of the total respondents were not sure and only 10% of the total respondents disagreed. This implied that the barriers to use of information technology for effective public administration were known and proper implementation strategies were still required. The development of Information Technology, in public organizations as elsewhere, s expensive had 20% of the respondents who strongly agreed, 58.3% of the total respondents agreed, 5% of the total respondents were not sure and I 6.7% disagreed and none strongly disagreed. Information technology requires highly specialized employees had 50% of the total respondents who strongly agreed, 20% of the total respondents agreed, 8% of the total respondents disagreed, 11.7% of the total respondents were not sure, 8.3% of the total respondents disagreed and 10% of the total respondents strongly disagreed. It attracts unnecessary competition between government and private organizations had 46.7% of the respondents who strongly agreed. 20% of the total respondent s agreed, 1 8.3% of the total respondents were not sure, 6% of the total respondents disagreed and none strongly disagreed. It results to legislative and regulatory barriers that require political consent had 53.3% of the respondents who strongly agreed, I 6.7% of the total respondents agreed, 5% of the total respondents were not sure 13.3% of the total respondents disagreed and 16.7% of the total respondents strongly disagreed. The use of information technology may infringe on individuals' privacy' had 25% of the respondents who strongly agreed, 38.3% of the total respondents agreed, 13.3 % of the total respondents were not sure 8.3% of the total respondents disagreed, and I 5% of the total respondents strongly disagreed. The government should play a leading role in developing infrastructure had 50% of the respondents who strongly agreed. I 5% of the total respondents agreed, 1 8.3% of the total respondents were not sure, 10% of the total respondents disagreed and 6.7% of the total respondents strongly disagreed They should be a close collaboration between private companies and public bodies had 60% of the respondents who strongly agreed, 5% of the total respondents agreed 16.7% of the total respondents were not sure, 3.3% of the total respondents disagreed and 15% of the total respondents strongly disagreed. IT use strategy should be determined on the basis of the present situation of computerization, telecommunications, and information systems development of each country had 50% of the respondents who strongly disagreed, 33.3% agreed, 3.3% of the respondents were not sure 6.7% disagreed and 6.7% of the respondent strongly disagreed. Adequate research is required to implement this Information Technology project in public administration'~ had 33.3% of the respondents who strongly agreed. 31.7% of the total respondents agreed, 10% of the total respondents were not sure, 13.3% of the total respondent disagreed and 11.7% of the total respondents strongly disagreed. There is an impact of information technology on public administration and information technology is becoming increasingly important public-sector resources and is tightly intertwined. Information technology is viewed as a commodity that is bought and sold in the marketplace, but it can also be viewed, in the organizational context, as a resource that is vital to the daily tasks of individuals within the organization and consequently to its overall ability to meet its objectives. Therefore, Information Technology usage not only promotes efficiencies by improving productive and administrative processes but also generates new information that can be widely shared or integrated. For example, information held in databanks in different parts of a government can be cross-matched or integrated to produce valuable new information for policy-making and program delivery - and. subject to privacy considerations, this new information can in turn be shared across government. The researcher also concludes that information technology is an indispensable resource that is the raw material for, and a product of~ virtually all government activities. Such activities as making health or defense policy, collecting taxes, providing social security services and conducting medical research are grounded in information. Moreover, the policy-making, decision-making and communication processes that pervade government's service, regulatory and research functions rely heavily on information. The transfer of information that occurs in these processes entails information flows between and among all of the many actors in the socio-economic and political system of government not limited to public administration. The study recommends that the government of the Republic of Uganda should consider Information Technology as an important tool in public administration and use it as an enabler, not a saver by itself in the pursuit of efficiency, and thus, it will be possible to deal with the uncertainties and contradictions in a more efficient way to eliminate barriers. Strategic planning for Information Technology should be the primary key to the effectiveness of the whole implementation process. This is because investing in technologies which may not prove to be viable in the long term may lead to loss of funds. Planning will also help to enhance the technological infrastructure through needs assessment and support of IT goals throughout the organization. Strategic planning is critical to the effective design and implementation of information technologies within an organization to eliminate the likely barriers. Kabale Municipality should have information systems updated regularly. Public information, as valuable information resources. Needs to be continuously explored and developed. Rapidly increasing technical performance and a continuing decline in costs will probably characterize IT for the foreseeable future. Computerization will no doubt be one of the indispensable essentials of the development process of developing countries in their efforts to modernize. In view of this, having a long-term plan is necessary for smooth and healthy development of IT use and this will help to reduce the loss of information to private individuals without the consent of the division. The central government should play a crucial role in the development of IT use in public administration. Appropriate government policies are necessary to remove distortions in any macroeconomic or social policies which would prevent efficient supply and demand for IT. Policies should provide the development and management of government information systems with legitimacy and direction, while avoiding the waste of sophisticated systems being developed in a haphazard manner, without regard for government-wide concerns and priorities. Effective communication between the information managers and top management, as well as participation by senior management in information management decisions, is important to the success of IT use in getting top management's support for needed actions and resources. This will help to improve understanding in the problems and issues and contribute to the decisions that must be made by information managers.
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