Private-Sector Partnerships & Citizen Collaboration Could Bridge Gap Between Government Technology Investments & Service Chal...
May 25 2017 - 7:10AM
Business Wire
A gap exists between the challenges that government agencies
hope to resolve through investments in emerging technologies and
the challenges that agency leaders said they believe their citizens
find most important, a new report from Accenture (NYSE:ACN)
determined.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170525005182/en/
(Graphic: Business Wire)
The report, Emerging Technologies in Public Service, examines
the adoption of emerging technologies across government agencies
with the most direct interaction with citizens or the greatest
responsibility for citizen-facing services: health and social
services, policing/justice, revenue, border services,
administration and pensions / social security.
As part of the report, Accenture surveyed nearly 800 public
service technology professionals across nine countries in North
America, Europe and Asia-Pacific to identify emerging technologies
being implemented or piloted. These technologies include
advanced analytics/ predictive modeling, the Internet of Things,
intelligent process automation, video analytics, biometrics/
identity analytics, machine learning, and natural language
processing/generation.
When asked to identify the top challenges they face, respondents
most often cited improving service delivery to meet citizen
expectations, responding to changes in the organization’s mission
or goals and hiring and developing people with the right skills.
(Interestingly, respondents in Australia, Japan and Singapore rated
increasing service delivery as their top priority when using
emerging technologies.)
Yet when asked to identify the top challenges they believe their
citizens want them to address, these leaders mentioned:
- Family safety and security;
- Unpredictability of financial support
for assistance programs;
- Lack of education/ training;
- Concerns over the complexity of
services and regulations; and
- No involvement in shaping
services.
“This disconnect highlights an opportunity for government
agencies to look at new ways to get closer to what public service
leaders believe are citizen expectations by leveraging emerging
technologies to become more agile, adaptive and customer centric,”
said Terry Hemken, who leads Accenture’s Health & Public
Service Analytics Insights for Government business.
Survey respondents said that one way to help address these
challenges is by adopting solutions perfected in the private
sector. The research found a strong willingness across all the
agencies and countries surveyed to embrace public-private
partnerships for help developing emerging-technology projects.
In fact, three-quarters (76 percent) of respondents said their
organizations look to successful implementation in the private
sector when designing public-service collaborations; two-thirds (68
percent) of those surveyed said the private sector already has
helped their organizations meet citizen demands; and approximately
the same number (66 percent) are willing to embrace public-private
partnerships and new commercial models to improve service
delivery.
These partnerships are most successful when the private sector
scopes and designs the project, secures talent and delivers the
most viable commercial model, according to the report.
The report also suggests that citizens and the nonprofit sector
also have a role to play in designing and developing
emerging-technology solutions. More than half (60 percent) of
respondents who are considering, piloting or implementing
emerging-technology projects said they collaborate with citizens
and volunteer organizations. While collaborations with citizens and
the nonprofit sector are already underway, only a few projects are
being explored, the research shows.
“Improving service delivery and quality is the paramount
challenge facing public service agencies today,” Hemken said.
“Lessons from the private sector and from other agencies can
uncover ways to side-step barriers and effect change. A willingness
to experiment and accept that some initiatives might fail is
essential and should help agencies effectively adopt emerging
technologies and ultimately deliver improved public services and
citizen satisfaction.”
Methodology
Accenture conducted an online survey of 774 technology leaders
in public service organizations at all levels of government,
responsible for creating, maintaining and expanding citizen
services, and for overseeing budget, purchasing and policy
decisions in nine countries: Australia, Finland, France, Germany,
Japan, Norway, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The survey was supplemented by in-depth, qualitative interviews
with technology experts across these countries.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company,
providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy,
consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched
experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries
and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest
delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business
and technology to help clients improve their performance and create
sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately
401,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries,
Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and
lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170525005182/en/
AccentureJoanne Veto, +1-703-947-2590+1-703-963-4212
(mobile)Joanne.M.Veto@accenture.com@JoanneVetoorJoin us on
LinkedIn / Follow us on Twitter
Accenture (NYSE:ACN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Accenture (NYSE:ACN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024