E-government: what is it, and will it transform government?

Abstract

Like many trends that influence public policy and administration, ‘e-government’ is a multifaceted and nebulous idea, easily applied to a range of different situations, across the entire gamut of government and society, and with differing intentions. There are wide-ranging claims made for e-government, considerable hopes pinned on it, and substantial commitments – financial and otherwise – made to it. The concept has been embraced by political leaders; it is being used to drive changes to the public sector, and to legitimise investment of public money in information and communications technology (ICT). An important question, however, is what ‘e-government’ is, and what shape an ‘e’ government might have. This article overviews the concept, the developmental phases of e-government and some international and local policy developments, and speculates on the impact of ICT on the future shape of government.