Economic activities worldwide are facing digital transformation thanks to technological advancements in the latest years. This movement has also been called industry 4.0 or industrial revolution 4.0.
Advancements such as Big Data and Artificial Intelligence have resulted in an unprecedent wave of innovation, recognized by the increasing revolutionary power of information. And the public sector is not an exception.
All around Europe we hear how the public sector is inefficient and outdated. Government 4.0 should transform this vision by making it more economical and efficient, just like international markets were affect by technology.
What is government 4.0?
It is the application of concepts from industry 4.0 to improve public management and upgrade services. As a result, unnecessary costs will be decreased, strengthening democracy as a hole.
Therefore, government 4.0 is how we call this stage in public sector where technology advancements are improving the quality of public services, better serving the general population.
Some countries have adopted measures for digitalization as early as 2001, such as Denmark. Even so, other countries struggle until this day to create effective actions to take this next step.
What are the technologies of government 4.0?
Digitalization plays a huge role on the transformations of government 4.0. The most obvious consequence is the transaction from physical to virtual documents, which by its own radically expedites all processes.
Besides, the easiness of access to information provided by this digitalization allows a wide range of analytical and predictive actions, also supported by cloud computing.
To detect fraud or evasion, artificial intelligence might help by identifying unusual behaviours. It may also be used for any sphere of the public sector such as public security, environmental protection, and authentication of public servants by facial recognition.
One technology that is facing a big wave of popularity at the moment is blockchain. Although usually associated with cryptocurrencies, the blockchain technology allows information to be virtually stored but never modified. It is a powerful tool for records that require security and protection, such as medical records and personal identity information.
How does the general population benefits from government 4.0?
At the end of the day, the general population will also benefit from technological advancements in government 4.0. From this digitalization process, services in general are quicker and less bureaucratic.
Imagine how many services that require you going to an agency could be solved through an app. By doing so, the service quality will be higher, more transparent and require less time. Access to information becomes easier and more democratic, furthermore there is an undeniable convenience to solving and following up on issues from home. Specially after Covid 19, this is particularly important.
Transparency is also an important ally for democratic institutions, as data from public administration becomes more accessible for everyone.
If technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and blockchain are relevant in different markets, there is no reason why it should not be applied in the public administration. The smart use of these advancements has the power to revolutionize relationships between public institutions and the general public and are fundamental for organizations that look for modern trustworthy solutions for the future.