• These are challenging times, and many government institutions are making amazing strides to accomplish more with less. For many, economic pressure has made it more important to than ever to deliver reliable, cost-effective government and citizen services. Leaders everywhere are looking for innovative solutions to help them achieve their most important goals-solutions that will give them the most tangible value for their technology investment dollars.
• Advances in technology have opened up new possibilities for governments and the people they serve. With the advent of cloud computing and IT as a shared service, new levels of flexibility, manageability, and agility are possible, enabling organizations to deliver services more effectively. Furthermore, by maximizing the use of existing technology infrastructure, governments are able to reduce costs, drive productivity, and deliver services across multiple departments and to a broad set of citizens and stakeholders.
• In our work with governments around the world, spanning over 25 years, we have learned how best to help advance governmental goals. When we look across the diverse portfolio of government responsibilities, from transit to public safety, health, social services and education programs - we find there are areas of commonality.
• Cities, regions, municipalities, and state governments have agencies and employees that benefit from technology that enables them to be more efficient and productive.
• Every department has leaders who could make better, more informed decisions if they had enhanced access to the right data.
• Each department needs to manage its budget, people and capital assets effectively and accountably.
• Together with our partners, Microsoft provides solutions that enable government agencies to create new process efficiencies and drive higher accountability; tools that provide them with insightful access to data so they can make more informed decisions; and, tools that help them deliver more and better services. By applying the right technology solutions, these agencies can operate more efficiently, reach goals more quickly, and have a real impact on citizens and communities.
• Governments can empower citizens; addressing a wide variety of needs through online technologies such as portals, providing citizens access to information from home or work, from their mobile device of choice, or through a self-service kiosk.
• Government workers, whether in the office or on the road, can use rich collaboration tools that will enable them to connect with the right people at virtually any time, from various locations, and on any device.
• Government agencies can implement robust solutions that connect valuable data across disparate systems, enabling greater insights and new levels of accountability. These solutions help agencies monitor performance and enable greater levels of transparency about how tax dollars are being spent.
These insights, efficiencies, connections, and the technologies that enable them, provide the foundation for governments to deliver impact locally, nationally and globally. Armed with the right tools, programs and technology, governments can connect agencies, policy makers, government workers, and those they serve-enabling a connected, agile, results-driven government that delivers a real impact for a better tomorrow.
- Later in the afternoon, at the Multi-stakeholder meeting, Microsoft will announce TWO important contributions with the ITU to increase the digital inclusion in Asia-Pacific;
1. In a close collaboration with the Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications of the gov't of Lao PDF, we seek to enhance the utilization of the Lao language in ICT as well as supporting the local content creation, enabling the technology to preserve the Lao culture. Mr. Minister, thank you for your support!
2. We are committed to helping solve challenges and expanding opportunity in our communities (where we live and work), Telecenters provide communities a place where people can access information, create, learn and communicate with other while develop essential digital skills.
Stakeholders, particularly industry players like Microsoft should help governments (a) have a real and positive impact on those they serve through wide variety of proven services, devices and partners, (b) use technology to develop reliable solutions for their most pressing challenges and expand social and economic opportunities.
Governing bodies all share the common challenge of providing for the ever-evolving needs of citizens and workers. But every government also has unique priorities and processes, just as every society has distinct demands and aspirations. Thus, said stakeholders should commit to helping governments meet these unique needs and leverage from key technology trends that bring both opportunities and challenges to governments today such as consumerization of IT, cloud computing, big data and social tools."
