DOI: 10.5176/2251-2039_IE17.30
Authors: Meelis Kitsing
Abstract: The paper contributes to the literature on digital platforms as well as the role of entrepreneurial innovation in both the private and public sector. It emphasizes the importance of private-sector platforms in e-government service delivery as well as the importance of entrepreneurial discovery processes in e-government service delivery. New Estonian retail banksintroduced internet banking in 1996 with the aim of making theirservices more efficient and enhancing customer satisfaction.However, the unintended consequence of this service was theutilization of internet banking platforms by government agenciesto deliver public services. As internet banking became widelyused, government agencies started to experiment by offeringonline services on the basis of internet banking platforms.Internet banking allowed government to authenticate users,which was fundamental for delivery of public-sector services suchas submitting tax declarations online. Alternative options, such asusing credit cards, were not available, as credit cards were thennot in widespread use in Estonia. The use of internet bankingplatforms unleashed a path-dependent process which allowed thedevelopment and delivery of even more sophisticated onlineservices. It served also as a stepping-stone to forming public-private partnerships in order to launch new identificationmethods such as the ID card and Mobile ID. Hence, internetbanking played a fundamental role in the emergence of e-government services in Estonia.
Keywords: e-government, internet banking, platforms, authentication, ID card, innovation, entrepreneurial discovery process, private-public partnerships.
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