Information and Communication Technology Seminar, Vol. 1 No. 1, August 2005
ISSN 1858-1633 2005 ICTS 123
A SOCIAL INFORMATICS OVERVIEW OF E-GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTATION: ITS SOCIAL ECONOMICS AND
RESTRUCTURING IMPACT
Irwan Sembiring, Krismiyati
Faculty of Information Technology Satya Wacana Christian University.
email : irwanmybiring.com, xme_blessedyahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Social informatics is a new field of study concerning the design, implementation, and the use of
ICT that take into account its interaction in contextual and cultural context. This kind of study usually uses
three approaches which can be combined in its application. They are normative orientation, analytical
orientation and critical orientation. This study will investigate the social economics and restructuring
impacts of E-Government implementation in Selayar Regency South Sulawesi. The result of the study
shows that globally the advantages got from the implementation is still very little compared to the
investment spent on this project. Keywords : social informatics, E-government in
selayar regency.
1. INTRODUCTION
Social informatics is a new field in Information Technology world. It is an important field as most of
the implementation of ICT cannot be separated from social impact it has brought to the society. It also
supports the idea that ICT does not exist in technological or social isolation. Besides, social
informatics will assess the implementation of ICT from social economics point of view as well as the
productivity as the consequence of this implementation.
This study will see the impact of ICT implementation especially the one applied in E-
Government. E-government itself is a system in information technology which can produce a good
management and network for the government. Coping with this challenge, the regional goverment of Selayar
regency has tried hard to create a new dimension of management and work processes inter units which
cover several services. They are stated as follows: a. Developing a flexible work process and system to
facilitate various kinds of complex interaction inter units, society, business world and the central
government. b. Developing a modern management system with
networking organization to flatten the hierarchy of decision making and widen the span of control
in an organization. c. Reducing the gap in making interactions with
private sector. d. Using the advance of technology to improve the
ability in managing and distributing the information for public services.
The problem investigated in this study is the impact of E-Government viewed from social
economics aspect and the productivity increase. The objective of this study is making justification
of E-Government impact as an implementation of ICT in social economics aspects as well as its productivity
increase.
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Social informatics refers to the interdiciplinary study of the design, uses, and consequences of ICT
that takes into account their interaction in organizational and cultural context.
Social informatics research comprises of three aproaches which is possible to combine any of them in
a particular study. 1. Normative orientation refers to research whose its
aim to recommend alternatives to professional in designing, implementing, using or policy making
about ICT. 2. Analytical orientation refers to studies of ICT
sevelopment in institutional and cultural context using empirical studies which contribute to such
theorizing. 3. Critical Orientation is an approach which examine
ICT from perspectives that do not automatical and uncritically accept the belief and goals set for an
ICT implemetnation. Expected or not, the implementation of ICT of
course bring some impacts toward the society either its social or organizational institutional sides. The
followings are some of those impact resulted from the ICT implementation.
1. A communicative and computational computer
system. A mathematical modeling displayed in a
communicative way can bring a social impact to the users. For example is the using of MRP
System Material Requirement Planning . It is an ICT system which put its orientation on a very
Information and Communication Technology Seminar, Vol. 1 No. 1, August 2005
ISSN 1858-1633 2005 ICTS 124
systematic transaction. In addition, it will also give various information and the details of
activities in a particular department. This system has a social impacts which can be clearly seen
from the behavior change from the system users.
2. A temporary need and the consequences of ICT.
