This compact and authoritative book brings together the topical themes of networks and governance to advance understanding of the determinants of local economic development in the context of increasingly global relationships.

In this chapter we describe research we have conducted on measuring e-government in the Netherlands. This research was commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior in the Netherlands. There are many aspects and benefits of e-government which are missing in existing measuring tools and concepts. Existing benchmark studies lack a theoretical basis and merely look at the supply side of electronic government: the availability of electronic services. Actual use or the impact of electronic public services is not captured. We therefore have developed a new concept and measuring tool for e-government. This tool is being used in a benchmarking study, the results of which will be published by the end of this year.* For this reason we have only described the methodological aspects of our approach here. We believe our experience in this research project and this measuring tool can contribute to the discussion on new ways to measure and evaluate e-government from an international perspective.

In recently developed policies the electronic exchange of data with governmental organisations is seen as a means to help reduce the administrative burden for businesses. Even laws have become active to enforce electronic data filing. However, we do not know whether these eGovemment applications do help reduce the administrative burden, so we do not know whether this new legislation is effective either, Although many business-to-government systems are currently being implemented, the adoption of these data interchange systems in a governmental context has not yet been studied extensively. In the study reported in this paper we investigate data exchange related adoption strategies in order to be able to address (in)effective strategies for the reduction of the administrative burden. We present an analysis of adoption factors that influence adoption decisions of SME companies in this context. Based on a representative survey we found some factors that seem to be relevant for the (non)adoption of business-to-government data exchange systems. We found that especially small companies tend to outsource eGovernment related data exchange processes. Therefore we conclude that it is very unlikely that the governments' aims to reduce administrative burden are met using current implementation strategies. We suggest an adapted strategy.

Realizing complete digital intake and processing of building permit applications has been a long time challenge for many governments. Especially the processing of digital drawings and plans constitutes a major obstacle. In 2004 legal barriers to communicate digitally between government and applicants have disappeared in the Netherlands. A group of local governments used the momentum to study the feasibility of a large scale introduction of the intake of digital building permit applications by using a shared services concept. The feasibility study contained technical, economical, juridical and demand site feasibility aspects. This paper reports especially on the demand site feasibility. The paper is mend to present a case study about the readiness of both applicants and local governments in the Netherlands to deal with building permit applications in a digital way.

Despite its perceived importance in Brussels, cross-border electronic public services are not a big thing yet in the Netherlands. There appears to be sufficient (yet rather partial) supply but insufficient demand. In the post dotcom era suppliers tend to look more critically at actual demand and balance their investments with perceived benefits. Decisions to invest in cross-border electronic services are based on the relative number of foreign customers. Due to the relative low number of foreign visitors public organizations put low priority to cross-border services, unless they have specific mandates.

Because the art of communication is central to the art of democracy, it is fundamental to economic development. Specifically, freedom and the ability to participate fully in economic governance, and in the corresponding democratic knowledge and learning processes, would reflect and be reflected by a parallel freedom and ability in communication. The issues are explored by comments on art, and on the influence of transnational corporations in education and the media. We suggest that good economic governance needs discussion and reason-giving in the public domain, a form and structure that enables and fosters deliberation and debate, a freedom to be exposed to diverse opinions and a wide range of issues. As for new communication technologies, our conclusion is that there are severe challenges to be overcome if they are to be the servants of inclusive development. In particular, there are questions over universality of access, filtering mechanisms, censorship and Internet governance.-1

The European Commission aims to obtain an overview of the different sources of public R&D support in the EU, mechanisms used to channel this support and the contexts of their use. This study looks at differences and trends in R&D funding modalities at publicly supported research institutions. Modalities in this context refer both to channels by which support flows to research performers and details of mechanisms used to select researchers and contracts that guide their work. The analysis differentiated between participant in the R&D system and among different flows of funds, and was based on OECD and related international data, national and organization-level data, interviews with players, and other secondary analyses. Results aim to provide insight into changes in modality across countries and over time.