E-COMMUNICATION

(A) Introduction:-

Electronic communication has become more important to workplace collaboration in the early
21st century. Expansion of globalization and more spread out distribution of work team members
have made it useful in sharing information and communicating on projects.

Communication using electronic media known as electronic communication. Such

communication allows transmission of message or information using computer systems, fax
machine, e-mail, title or video conferencing and satellite network. People can easily share
conversation, picture, image, sound, graphics, maps, interactive software and thousands of things
for the development of electronic communication. Due to electronic technology, jobs, working
locations and cultures are changing, and therefore people can easily access to worldwide
communication without any physical movement.

(B) Definition:-

L.C. Bovee and Others said, “Electronic communication is the transmission of information
using advanced techniques such as computer moderns, facsimile machines, voice mail,
electronic mail, teleconferencing, video cassettes, and private television networks.”

(C) Advantages of Electronic Communication:-

The following points highlight on the advantages of electronic communication:

1. Speedy transmission: It requires only a few seconds to communicate through electronic

media because it supports quick transmission.

2. Wide coverage: World has become a global village and communication around the globe
requires a second only.

3. Low cost: Electronic communication saves time and money. For example, Text SMS is
cheaper than the traditional letter.

4. Exchange of feedback: Electronic communication allows the instant exchange of feedback.

So communication becomes perfect using electronic media.
5. Managing global operation: Due to the advancement of electronic media, business managers
can easily control operation across the globe. Video or teleconferencing e-mail and mobile
communication are helping managers in this regard.

(C) Disadvantages of Electronic Communication:-

Electronic communication is not free from the below limitations:

1. The volume of data: The volume of telecommunication information is increasing at such a

fast rate that business people are unable to absorb it within the relevant time limit.

2. The cost of development: Electronic communication requires huge investment for

infrastructural development. Frequent change in technology also demands further investment.

3. Legal status: Data or information, if faxed, may be distorted and will cause zero value in the
eye of law.

4. Undelivered data: Data may not be retrieved due to system error or fault with the technology.
Hence required service will be delayed.

5. Dependency: Technology is changing every day, and therefore developing countries face the
problem as they cannot afford the new or advanced technology. Therefore developing countries
need to be dependent towards developed countries for sharing global network.

(D) Forms/ Media/ Types of Electronic Communication:-

With the revolutionary development of information technology, the world is becoming smaller
and people staying at any corner are well-capable of communicating with others, whatever the
distance is people and organizations use different modern devices of communication technology.
Some widely used electronic communication technologies or media of electronic
communication are discussed below-
1. Telephone: The most commonly and most widely used electronic device of
communication is telephone. With its invention in 1876 by Graham Bell, a German
scientist, the human civilization moved to a new era. By telephone, people can transmit
information orally within a minute. Recently-developed satellite telephoning system has
added new dimension in telecommunication system. In most of the cases, it is the easiest
 and less expensive way of communicating distance people. Now-a-days, the development
and diffuse of cellular or mobile phone have been an expected euphoria to all of us.
Definitely it is becoming extremely popular.
2. Telex: Telex is an important device of modern communication technology. Under this
system, a tele-printer is used by which information can be communicated form one place
to another with the help of a machine.
The tele-printer consists of two parts keyboard transmitter and receiver. When a message
is to be sent, the typist presses a button, waits for the dial tone, dials the number desired
and types the massage. The message is typed on a small strip of paper at the receiver’s
end as it is typed in the originating office. This is one of the quickest and most accurate
methods of exchanging written messages.
3. Facsimile or Fax: The use of fax a gradually increasing for transmitting visual materials
such as picture, diagrams, illustrations etc. here, the fax machine is connected with a
telephonic.
The document to be transmitted is fed through the machine, then it is electronically
scanned and signals are transmitted to the receiving end where an identical copy of the
document is reproduced on a bland sheet of paper by the receiving machine. The fax
machine has made it possible to send copies of important documents including
certificates, testimonials, degrees, agreements; contracts etc. form one place to another at
the speed of a telephone call. For this reason, it is universally used method of
communication.
4. Electronic Mail or E-Mail: E-mail is one of the most widely used and most popular
methods of modern communication system. E-mail involves sending message via
telecommunicating links. Here two computer terminals are connected together on
network to transfer messages from one to another.
The message is typed on a computer screen at one end and is conveyed to the other end
through electric impulses. The receiver can easily get the message by opening his
mailbox in his computer. Because of its various advantages, now-a-days, e-mail is used
by the organizations for internal as well as external communication.
5. Voice Mail or V-Mail: Voice mail is a form of e-mail. It is used to send the voice of the
sender instead of sending written massage to the receiver. The mechanism of sending
 message here is almost same as in case of e-mail. It is useful to communicate with the
original voice tone of the sender.
6. Tele-Text: Tele-Text is an electronic device of broadcasting written massages through
television. Tele-text is widely used to present strict and concise information when it is to
be sent to a large number of audiences at a time. Business reports, stock market or
exchange reports, weather reports etc are useful to present through tele-text.
7. Video-text: Video-text is a device of collecting and storing information. Here
information is collected by using telecommunication network and is broadcasted to the
audience like the tele-text. Important massage or information or report can be preserved
by videotext.
8. Tele conferencing: Under teleconferencing system people staying at different places can
hold talks or meetings over telephone. Here everyone involved in the meeting is able to
hear each other and can share information with one another as if they were all placed in
one room. It can save both money and time of the executives.
9. Videoconferencing: Videoconferencing is the latest version of teleconferencing system.
Under this method people can meet and work together without being gathered in one
room. They can hear and see each other over the television or video screen and can share
information with one another. Now-a-days multinational companies use
videoconferencing method as a widely used means of communication in order to keep
touch with the executives staying miles away from the head office. It also saves money
and time of high officials.
10. Word Processor: A word processor in an electronic device where a computer is
combined with a typewriter. It can greatly simplify the job of written communication.
Typing skill, basic computer literacy and word processing software are essential for using
a word processor. The operator of a word processor can easily edit the text, give it the
desired format and insert or delete words phrase or sentences wherever he likes. It is a
very useful medium of modern communication technology as it provides some important
advantages.
11. Internet: Internet is the latest and most amazing development that has changed the way
of live regarding communication. It is the world’s largest computer network linked
together by telephone lines, radio links or satellite links. Internet can be used for
 multipurpose functions. It can be used for sending e-mail, for advertisement, for
teleconferencing, for telephoning and so on.
12. Multimedia: Multimedia is an excellent invention for upgrading the communication
system. Multimedia is a combination of many media brought together to transfer
messages. These media can include graphics, photo, music, voice, text and animation.
When all of these elements are placed together or computer screen, they become
multimedia. It can be effectively used for advertising and publicity campaigns. It is very
powerful means of communication.
 E-Governance

(A) Introduction:-

Electronic governance or e-governance can be defined as as the application of information and

communication technology (ICT) for delivering government services, exchange of information
communication transactions, integration of various stand-alone systems and services between
government-to-customer (G2C), government-to-business (G2B), government-to-government
(G2G) as well as back office processes and interactions within the entire government framework.

(B) Objectives of E-Governance:-

The object of E-Governance is to provide a SMARRT Government. The Acronym SMART

refers to Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive, Responsible and Transparent Government.

S – The use of ICT brings simplicity in governance through electronic documentation, online
submission, online service delivery, etc.

M – It brings Morality to governance as immoralities like bribing, red-tapism, etc. are

eliminated.

A – It makes the Government accountable as all the data and information of Government is
available online for consideration of every citizen, the NGOs and the media.

R – Due to reduced paperwork and increased communication speeds and decreased

communication time, the Government agencies become responsive.

R – Technology can help convert an irresponsible Government Responsible. Increased access to

information makes more informed citizens. And these empowered citizens make a responsible
Government.

T – With increased morality, online availability of information and reduced red-tapism the
process of governance becomes transparent leaving no room for the Government to conceal any
information from the citizens.

These objects of E-Governance are achievable with the use of ICT and therefore the concept is
very alluring and desirable
(C) Advantages of E-Governance:-

The e-governance is becoming a celebrated concept and the sole reasons are the advantage which
it brings with it in the country it is applied. The advantages if ICT are many and “the use of
information and communications technologies (ICT) to improve the efficiency, effectiveness,
transparency and accountability of government”.

1. Reduces the cost

This is a significant achievement which an e-governance scheme procures, as we know that most
of the Government expenditure is appropriated towards the cost of stationary and paper works.
This Paper-based communication proves to be a costlier one and this sucks in a lot of
governments or public money as it calls for constant heavy expenditure. The solution to this
problem is this electronic way of working, Internet and Phones makes communication cheaper
saving valuable money for the Government.

2. Speedy working

E-governance works on the basis of Technology and it is a known fact that technology makes
communication speedier thus this is what makes the working speedier and the working becomes
faster. Internet, Phones, Cell Phones have reduced the time taken in normal communication.

3. Increase Transparency

The main concern of any nation in the present era is the increasing and continuing corruption in
the system. This can also be solved through the use of ICT which makes governing profess
transparent. All the information of the Government would be made available on the internet and
right to information of citizens would be taken care of and respected. This revolutionizes the way
governments function, ensuring much more transparency in the functioning, thereby eliminating
corruption. The citizens can see the information whenever they want to see and ICT helps the
citizen in this aspect and leaves no way in which the information could be concealed from the
citizens and therefore it helps in reducing corruption and in a way it makes the governance more
transparent.

4. It brings Accountability
When the governing process is made transparent the Government automatically becomes
accountable and accountability is a very basic requirement of good governance. Accountability
includes answerability of the Government to the people about its working and this is right of the
people to know exactly about the functioning of the government. E-governance therefore makes
a noteworthy contribution in the society by providing a better government which is accountable
to its citizens and this fulfills the basic requirement of the demand of the population which elects
its government.

(D) Challenges In The E-Governance

E-governance is a constructive idea that can be of an immense positive output but it is not so
easy to attain in a country like India which is practically a developing nation. E-governance itself
is a very technical scheme and it has challenges which make the implementation easier said than
done.

The most significant characteristic of any successful e-government application is its quality
(Signore, et al 2005) and accessibility. The issue (Cost, Time) of integration of legacy systems
comes onto the scene. As the information collected by governments may be politically sensitive,
installation of appropriate security mechanisms may be an important technical consideration. At
the same time, many other policy issues need to be resolved, such as authentication and
confidentiality.

1. Digital Divide

The digital divide refers to the separation that exists between individuals, communities, and
businesses that have access to information technology and those that do not have such access.
Social, economic, infrastructural and ethno-linguistic indicators provide explanations for the
presence of the digital divide. Economic poverty is closely related to limited information
technology resources.

An individual living below poverty line does not afford a computer for him to harness the
benefits of e-government and other online services. As the digital divide narrows, broader
adoption of e-government in the public domain becomes possible.
E-governance is totally based on modern technology and it will be a failure if this part is not
taken into consideration. Technology has to be in the reach of the people for whom the policies
are made and who have to use them.

2. Lack of communication

India is a country which has decentralized government and in such a case the power is
decentralized and does not only rest in the hands of centre but divided in different spheres and
departments, so the lack of communication between these departments is one of the biggest
challenge that India has to face while opting for E-governance. So the information that exists in
one department has no or very little use with respect to some other department of the
government.

3. Population

This comes out to be probably biggest challenge for the e-governance. E-governance requires
huge amount of work for making the databases of the citizens of the country and doing it
efficiently for such a population is in itself a very big task. Security issues and privacy issues are
also to be dealt with proper care and so it becomes a little hindrance.

4. Different Languages

In a country like India which is highly diverse, language comes as a barrier in the path of
communication and this is a very important expect of success of the any scheme. Ensuring E-
Governance in local language is a big task to achieve. Supplying information to the public in a
language that they understand and are comfortable with, and generally, it is the local language.
As, technology is available by which transliteration from English into other languages can be
made. Therefore, the problem is manageable provided there is enough motivation to do this
onerous task.