E-Government for Development

ABSTRACT Today, wide ranges of e-Government projects are being implemented in different parts of the world. Yet where these projects are introduced, they often seem to end in failure, either partial or total. The ability of developing countries to reap the potential benefits of e-Government is still limited, and largely hampered by the existence of political, social and economic hindrances. Taking a critical stance towards the rhetoric surrounding e-Government and underlying most of the literature on the topic, this paper provides a number of insights and recommendations to guide its future implementation and development. Lessons learned, underlying assumptions, and potential approaches to e-Government are examined and discussed. Conclusions indicate that e-Government projects are likely to succeed only if they are deliberately cognizant of local government culture and real work practices, and of the broader technical and socio-political environment within which they are introduced and applied.