E-Government: Key Concepts and Applications to Development

One effect of new and expanding information and communication technology and the digital revolution is the reality and potential of ICT to increase the efficiency and effective of government. Another is demands on governments to be more receptive to the needs of citizens. Governments must become more participatory, lower barriers and costs for access, and become more responsive.

One way to do this is e-government – the use of information and communications technologies to transform government, to make it more efficient, effective, transparent and accountable. For developing countries and the development efforts they are pursuing, e-government will be particularly important, in development and in establishing good governance.

E-government involves many benefits that strengthen the function of government, but also involves issues that call for new ways of governing. For developing countries, the potentials are particularly significant, but so are the issues. An additional concern developing country governments must face is reconciling e-government and the digital divide.

E-Government: Key Concepts and Applications to Development