Title: E-commerce innovation in the Veneto region: sociotechnical alignment in the context of a public administration

Authors: Alfonso Molina, Mirta Michilli

Addresses: School of Management, The University of Edinburgh, High School Yards, Old Surgeons' Hall, Edinburgh, EH1 1LZ, UK. Digital Youth Consortium, via Umbria 7, 00187 Roma, Italy

Abstract: The paper discusses the emergence and development of e-commerce in a government context. Recently, the region of Veneto has implemented ||Bollo Auto|| - the payment of car taxes through a digital network making use of lottery terminals located in the popular tobacco shops (||tabacchinos||). This paper examines this experience and asks: how is e-commerce emerging in European regions; what are the technologies used; what are the difficulties faced; what are the benefits; and, more generally, what is the nature of the processes involved in making a success of e-commerce by government? The paper deals with these questions through a combination of conceptual instruments (the ||diamond of sociotechnical alignment||) and empirical analysis. In this way, the paper aims to provide insights beyond the particularities of the Veneto region, with a view to helping the understanding and practice of other e-commerce innovation processes in regional environments.

Keywords: e-commerce; regional government; car taxes; sociotechnical alignment; Italy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2003.003293

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2003 Vol.3 No.4, pp.415 - 425

Published online: 20 Aug 2003 *

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