E-Government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen's adoption strategies.

E-Government also known as e-gov, digital government, online government or transformational government, which is used to refer to the use of information and communication technology to provide and improve government services, transactions and interactions with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.

Most of the e-government implementations of the project are currently in progress. The detailed objectives and status of each of the e-government implementation are:

1. 
   Generic Office Environment (GOE)
   It introduces a fully integrated, distributed and scalable office environment that leverages use of multimedia information technology. This will enable efficient communication, allowing collaboration across all workers, and ensuring right information reaching the right people in a timely manner.



2. 
   Electronic Procurement (eP) Project
   Its aim is to re-engineer, automate, and transform current procurement system. The project would cover central contract, tender, and direct purchase. The electronic procurement project has taken off the introduction of ePerolehan and can be accessed at http://www.eperolehan.com.my/.




3. 
   Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)
   This e-government project will provide a single interface for government employees to perform human resource function effectively and efficiently.



4. 
   Project Monitoring System (PMS)
   This system is one of the e-government projects that will create a mechanism to monitor project implementation throughout various government agencies and statutory bodies.





5. 
   Electronic Services Directory (e Services)
   This project is a pilot project that allows citizens of Malaysia to engage in transactions with government and utilities payments such as telephone and electricity bills, police summons, Road and Transport Department (RTD) services and others.



6. 
   Electronic Labor Exchange (ELX)
   It improves the mobilization of human resources and optimize work force utilization through systematic matching of job seekers to job vacancies.



7. 
   E-Syariah
   This project main objective is to improve the quality of service in Syariah courts.

Citizen’s adoption strategies
Government can make the advertisement through different ways in order to get the attention of the public and increase the people’s knowledge of e-government project and the availability of electronic services online. Besides that, the government also need to make sure the information provided to the users is always accurate, relevant and timeliness. The government also needs get the public confidence by securing the confidential information of the public. By increasing the customer satisfaction, the rate of e-government adoption will also increase.

A Discussion on E-learning offered in Malaysian Universities: Prons and Cons from the student perspective

Electronic learning (E-learning) is a term for all types of technology-enhanced learning (TEL), where technology is used to support the learning process. In some instances, no face- to- face interaction takes place. E-learning is used interchangeably in a wide variety of contexts.

There are more advantages than disadvantages of having E-learning for a student. Lets discuss this matter.

Advantages:

1. Save travelling time and cost
They can save time from travelling to an university to study. Travelling costs might be very costly.

2. Time flexibility
Student can get online resources, communicate with his tutor or class mates, send his query and write term paper at any time he can get access to the Internet.

3. Suite different level of students
Some students can adapt faster while some adapt slower. Students have the option to select learning materials that meets their level of knowledge and interest by using E-learning.

4. More Response
Students in a large classroom seldom response to the lecturer. Therefore, E-learning helps student to interact more with the lecturer.

5. Fewer penalties from non-compliance
For example, students have to sign their attendances and without doing that, they will be bar for taking final exams in UTAR. E-learning helps students that often skip classes from such penalties.

6. Disease
E-learning keeps students away from diseases such as SARS and H1N1. These disease is easily infect from human to human such as by flu or cough. om response to the lecturer. Therefore, E-learning helps student to interact more with the lecturer.



Disadvantages:

1. Low motivation
Students with low motivation often work slow and fall behind others. Besides that, the students also will late for the submitment of the assignment or other work.



2. Easy to get confused
Some students will get lost about course activities and deadlines.


3. Internet connections
Slow Internet connections or older computers may make accessing course materials frustrating
Managing computer files and online learning software can sometimes seem complex for students with beginner-level computer skills

4. May create sense of isolated
During the learning process, the students may feel they are alone with only their computer. This makes some of the students quite uncomfortable.

5. Unfamiliar for the lack of IT skill students
Sometimes, the managing computer files and online learning software can sometimes seem complex for students with beginner-level computer skills.

6. Required more time
The online environment is text-based. To communicate with the instructor and other students, the students must type messages, post responses, and otherwise communicate through typing. However, typing is slower than speaking. It seems learn more in an online environment, but it need to make a greater effort to accomplish that learning.

Corporate Blogging: A new marketing communication tool for companies

A corporate blog is a weblog published and used by anorganization to reach its organizational goals . Corporate blogs have some unique features which is used for communication purpose for the company nowadays.

The key prerequisites for successful corporate blogs are:

- symmetric communication (incl. using comments),

- informal language,

- dialogue with readers which results in creating virtual community,

- regular postings,

- integration with other media and other content,

- clear rules and purpose of publishing (regulations).

There are several types of corporate blogs:
1) Leadership corporate blogs―in which particular person from company is thoroughly chosen for presenting company’s views on various aspects.

2) Group corporate blogs―in which all employees have right to participate in the development of company’s blog.

3) Corporate blogs platform - consist of many blogs written by employees or company’s business partners.

4) Promotional blogs – such as sponsored blogs, advertising and contest blogs

Benefits of corporate blog establishment:

~Enable the customers or potential customers to find the latest and most accurate information about its new products and services.

~For interacting with existing and potential clients.

~Goals or Missions are to increase company credibility, enhance customer service and interaction, showcase new products or services and more.

~Allowed company to closely track where and under what condition its products or services are being discussed online.

References:

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/186126/blogging/corporate_blogging_dos_and_donts.html