E-administration digital services in Poland

Abstract

Common digitization of the e-services sector currently represents the basis for social and economic development. The development of e-administration is one of the key components of the process of building an information society. The paper presents the level of using e-services of public administration in Poland and EU-28 countries. The analysis covers empirical data of the GUS and Eurostat from the years 2008–2015. The scale of using the electronic citizen – office contact channel is very diverse in Europe. The term ”information society” understood as the universal character of using both the Internet and e-services of administration refers to such countries as: Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands where the percentage of people using e-services in 2015 amounted to 88%–75%. Polish citizens in rankings in this area of activity turn out to be definitely weak, placed at the last positions. The paper attempted to point out some objective factors that explain this state of affairs. It turned out that the low level of use is determined and depends on the age of Internet users, level of education, place of residence or income earned in the household. The most advanced in electronic administration services is the population of young people (aged 25-44) and people with a higher level of education. Also high income and inhabitancy in large cities represent determinants of a higher percentage of those using the Internet and e-administration services. Those digitally excluded from this area, one is trying to activate through digital programs implemented since 2001, including the latest ”Integrated State IT Implementation Program” adopted in 2016.