Introduction
Information communications technology is a general term that explains more about the integration of management systems. These systems include: intelligence, telecommunications and systems of audio-visual, which are currently used by information technology.
It involves all the technical ways of handling information and enhancing communication. It consists of telephony, audio and video transmission, broadcast media, network-based monitoring and control functions. ICT can be viewed as the combination of audio, visuals and networks enhanced by a link system. Economic incentives that result from this merging of network systems are large as they promote cost saving and effective organizational growth.
ICT in the UK: Public Services
The UK government does not have effective information technology schemes. This is as a result of low allocation of budget share to the ICT and public sector. However, the government has come up with a strategy, which is expected to deliver public services in a better way at low costs.
The strategy involves sharing and re-use of ICT appliances. As stated by National Audit Office, (2007) this is intended to improve efficiency and productivity thereby reducing wastage and chances of project failure. Online transactions are scheduled to be opened for citizens and firms so as to promote policy debate and good collaboration during public service delivery.
Supply of government ICT is focused in a way that small and medium organizations are allowed to participate in an attempt to reduce bureaucracy. This is facilitated by creation of common ICT infrastructure that is built on mandated common standards. Transparency is enhanced through publication of government contract’s details so as to attract the necessary attention from all interested enterprises.
Current prediction of the UK’s public service ICT indicates that the sector is likely to experience a marginal decline. This is nothing compared to the wider cuts on spending, which should be reversed to ensure growth in a given short period of time. The total spending for 2010-11 financial year is estimated at 17.99 billion pounds.
This is expected to decline in the next financial year to stand at 17.75 billion pounds and later a mild decline throughout 2012-13 financial year. The sequence will overturn and see the spending rise to 18.27 billion pounds in 2015-16 indicating an increase of 1.5%.
The processes of cutting operational costs bring about maintenance, increased spending on managed services as well as outsourcing. Rationalization of investment and infrastructure technology in the working of mobile is another form of saving.
This contributes positively to the hardware investment maintenance, offsetting of pressure so as to increase the lifespan of printers and Pcs resulting from the new spending on mobile devices. Cutting of government’s expenditure is seen as the main factor in use, but there has developed a new move to bring reforms in the public services.
The reforms are expected to be initiated by the local government followed by radical reforms in health sector. This will generate a considerable ICT investment by reversing the current spending trend. Businesses of various government branches have been joined together after the central government engages itself in a quest to reduce spending. This will see it spending more on outsourcing and reducing the overall cost of ICT in Whitehall. Other departments such as defence, transport and criminal justice are also expected to recover slowly.
Labour and conservative ways to technology
Labour and conservative are two parties in the UK, which have persistent differences in policy formulation and in the ways society should be shaped. The two parties have clashed in economic sector on the cause of deficit and the appropriate method of handling it.
Conservatives condemned the growth of private debts, which were allowed by the Labour party. Butler, (1994) commented that the Labour opposed the review on spending and advocated for the need to delay cuts on expenditure.
In the public service, the set plans to distribute power to GPs have received a description, which portrays it as a dangerous experiment when public spending is reduced. The parties have differed in the education sector where: the labour party have analyzed the idea of free schools critically and opposed the move to raise tuition fees in universities to 9000 pounds, the cutting of funding for school sports and the ending of EMA payments of 16-18 year old youths.
The party has also opposed the planned educational reforms describing it as a backward move that makes the development strategies stagnant. Concerning the welfare reforms, the labour party has criticized the alleged move to cut housing benefits and elimination of child trust fund claiming that, it would cause poverty.
Apart from having disagreements and distinct points of view, the two parties enhance democracy in various ways: They allow people to participate in elections freely, provide information to the public that might not otherwise be made public, enhance accountability and allow the existence of opposition to act as a watchdog.
The parties have also shown unity of agendas assumed to be brought about by the internet. Both have taken common grounds on how the government requires change although from different philosophies. There is a developing consensus of the parties, which will enable the adoption of long-term reforms in terms of state operations and its relationship with the citizens. Through their technological proposals, it is clear on how the two parties view the future status of the state.
This is because they have capitalized on the internet as the only medium of communication between the citizens and the government. The internet is perceived to offer people a chance to reinvent democracy and enable them to make decisions thereby influencing public policy. The conservatives have also developed a competition that will create a platform of tapping wisdom and ideas of dealing with tough policy challenges.
In the council of Barking and Dagenham, there is evident democracy in the way they hold elections and later form opposition. The mayor must be an existing councilor and assumes the role of conducting ceremonies in the borough. The council of Kensington and Chelsea has a united local government and a common town hall as well as administration.
There is equal representation of all citizens in the council governance signifying a well-developed democratic system. The council of Barnet has majority of councilor elected in the local government being conservatives. This has made them dominate the council and at times make decisions with no one to oppose. This also made them lose money in investments with a report showing that the procedures followed were not genuine.
Comparison of other Government’s ICT with that of the UK
The government of the UK has the worst IT schemes in terms of effectiveness. Ross, (2003) argued that comparing UK with governments such as Canada, Japan, New Zealand and US, the government of the UK lags behind in many ways. There is recorded poor performance of e-government and a series of failed ICT projects with most of them based on public sector.
Allocation of contracts to a limited number of suppliers has caused problems in the UK. This has contributed to lack of expertise and poor ICT as compared to other nations.
Challenges of ICT
For ICT to be fully adopted there must be affordable access created and infrastructure such as electricity which might not be there. Introducing ICT in education would mean a change in methods of teaching, re-training of teachers and added costs of purchasing new teaching equipment.
As people continue using the ICT, their culture is likely to change with respect to the technology in use. ICT brings about dissemination of indigenous knowledge, which when published on the internet gets exploited without economic benefit to the poor owner.
According to Cooke, (2007) most people with skills end up losing jobs and as ICT seem to create jobs; they are always different from the disappearing ones. ICT pollutes the environment since most of them contain toxic substances. Disposal of electronics waste proves a great challenge in waste management.
Recommendations
Establishment of government policies would give guidance to the procurement of ICT systems resulting to the involvement of smaller companies in the business. Hall, (2010) suggested that, the government should provide enough ICT facilities in school to facilitate easy learning and adoption of e-learning.
Proper waste management should be put in place in order to control environmental pollution. Political differences should be kept aside when it comes to formulation of development related policies so as to enhance unity in the process. Countries should define boundaries of what qualifies to be published in the internet. This would prevent exploitation of indigenous knowledge from poor people.
Conclusion
From the report it is evident that the government of the UK has undeveloped ICT system due to its practice of cutting ICT expenditure. The rivalry that existed between labour and conservatives greatly hindered development and adoption of ICT in the UK. The UK has a poor ICT system as compared to ICTs in other countries hence the call for improvement.
There are many challenges related to ICT and they range from education, through cultural to economic well-being of the society. However, ICT can help countries tackle their health, social and economic problems leading them to the realization of millennium goals.
References
Butler, G. (1994). British Political Facts, 1990-1994, UK: Macmillan publishers.
Cooke, P. (2007). Regional knowledge economies market, cluster and innovation, Cheltenham: Edward Edgar.
Great Britain: National Audit Office. (2007). improving the Disposal of Public Sector Information, Communication and Technology. UK: The stationary office.
Hall, D. (2010). The ICT handbook for Primary teachers: a guide for students and professionals, UK: CRS press.
Ross, S. (2003). Britain since 1930, UK: Evans publishing group.