Exploring the Barriers to E-Government

7/21/2019 Exploring the Barriers to E-Government

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Exploring the Barriers to E-

Government

Shefali Virkar

Oxford Internet InstituteUniversity of Oxford

[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Understanding the Concept of Barriers

to e-Government The idea of a barrier can be problematic

as a social science concept

O.E.D Definition: A fence or materialobstruction erected (or serving) to bar theadvance of persons or things, or toprevent access to a place.

Conceptualising barriers as one part in the

larger system of service delivery


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Government

Government

Flow of Services

Flow of Services

Citizens

Citizens

The Hole-in-the-Road Analogy


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Seven Key Barriers to e-

Government Political Leadership Failures

Political Strategy

Workplace Culture / Organisational Set-up Socio-Economic Divides

Technology

Financial Inhibitors Lack of Trust


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Political Leadership

Clear leadership with a project champion

Ability of key political and bureaucratic

players to ensure stakeholder

participation, create involvement and

minimize resistance.

Dominance of politics and self interest

Poor project management

Low Prioritisation of e-Government Initiatives


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Political Strategy Degree to which a long-term plan for good

governance and e-government has been

developed

Efforts made towards integrating IT with

broader reform objectives

Lack of clear vision and strategy


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Workplace Culture/Organisational

Set-up Prevailing practices in organizations,

particularly the workplace culture and the

patterns of communication and informationexchange they support.

Poor change management

Distinct lack or absence of requisite IT and

management skills


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Socio-Economic Digital Divides

Degree to which there are inequalities in

skills, and differences in access to ICT

systems, literacy levels and other socio-economic indicators

Lack of affordable access to the system

Socio-economic divides of wealth, age, and gender

Existing socio-economic developmental issues


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Technology

Nature of approach to project conception

and implementation, including nature of

project design and availability ofinfrastructure.

Poor, unrealistic project design incompatible with eitherGovernment or end-user needs

Inadequate technological infrastructure


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Financial Inhibitors

Impact of available financial resources on

the planning and implementation of e-

Government projects

Inappropriate cost / benefit analyses

Lack of flexibility in exploring funding options


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Lack of Trust

Issues relating to online privacy andsecurity, particularly with reference to the

electronic handling of sensitive information

Not really an issue in nascent developingworld projectsa second generation

concern

Big Brother fear

Insufficient attention to security by system designers


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Synergies and Tensions:

e-Government and Development e-Government applications possess the

potential to improve internal managerial

efficiency and quality of public services

Decentralisation

Accountability

Democratic Participation

Benefits to developing nations


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Synergies and Tensions (contd)

Reality is that resources to fund developmentprojects are scarce

ICT projects require heavy investment ininfrastructure and skills

Resources diverted away from other high-priorityareas

Is administrative reform important enough tojustify taking potentially risky decisions?

Documents

Exploring the Barriers to E-Government