A Systematic approach to designing and implementing E-Government systems in the developing world

Abstract

With the widespread deployment of e-government systems in developing countries, and as well as the high failure rates, it is important to understand the complex processes that underlie successful design and implementations of large-scale e-government systems. This dissertation therefore was motivated by a desire to leverage e-government lessons already learnt in the developing world to maximize the chances of success for future e-government projects. A number of successful and unsuccessful ICT projects were critically studied. This dissertation looks at how these projects were designed and implemented (planning, development, communication, integration and management). The study therefore developed a systematic approach for designing and implementing e-government in the developing world. The study realised that it is important to have a nuanced reading of stake holders in the e-government systems domain to understand the origin of conflict and resistance to such systems. Funding from the government and other stake holders is highly essential. Sensitisation of all the stake holders and especially the users is inevitable. Corruption and bribery, resistance to the system, lack of trained staff, lack of trust in the system and lack of political will/interest were seen by the research as the greatest challenges faced during the design and implementation of e-government in the developing world. The practice of ”cut” from Europe and ”paste” in the developing world must be avoided because these are two different worlds.