Public Administration in the Age of Digitalisation in the Mirror of the Digital Divide – still waiting for Success?

Abstract

The digital development of recent years has had an impact on every sector of the economy and society, as more and more people handle their affairs online and take advantage of the opportunities offered by e-government. However, how has Hungary's digital economy and society evolved in the nearly twenty years since the launch of the government portal, Ügyfélkapu, on April 1, 2005, through which tax returns and other official document procedures can be processed? In June 2006, researchers from the Szonda Ipsos Infocommunications Department investigated the knowledge about online administration, the familiarity with Ügyfélkapu, and the acceptance and spread of digital signatures, based on three main areas of inquiry. As a conclusion of the research report, the survey indicated that “the majority of the population [...] is unaware of or only vaguely familiar with the availability of electronic public administration in Hungary.” At the time, the Hungarian population was skeptical of the spread of e-administration, even though 55% of people in the European Union who used e-government services expressed a relatively positive opinion about the possibilities. Based on these results and my own non-representative research findings, I examined how e-government has brought about change, and how the rapid development of information and communication technologies has influenced the development and transformation of society and the economy. Additionally, I looked into the current state of the digital divide and its potential connection with digital maturity.