One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward? : Does E-Government Make Governments in Developing Countries More Transparent and Accountable?

Many countries are in the process of transitioning from primarily paper-based administrative systems to digital systems through the application of information and communication technology (ICTs) as part of e-Government initiatives. Though much has been written about the positive power of technology and information to support greater transparency and accountability and, by extension, development, this paper discusses literature exploring the unintended consequences and downside risks for transparency and accountability associated with the way recorded information is produced and managed in digitally enabled developing country public sector contexts. The implications of these risks for implementation of right to information laws is discussed, and a call is made for further research and greater attention to the effects of ICT use in the public sector, especially in regard to digital records and information creation, use, management and preservation and effects upon the operation of transparency and accountability mechanisms.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	Lemieux, Victoria L.
Format:	Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2015-06
Subjects:	PUBLIC OFFICIALS, ELECTRONIC RECORDS, RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICIES, COMMUNITIES, PUBLIC INTEREST, E-MAIL, DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY, ANALOG, DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, DIGITAL ERA, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LEGISLATION, POLICY FRAMEWORK, PORTALS, E-GOV, STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK, PUBLIC SECTOR, GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, DIGITALIZATION, INFORMATION, PUBLIC SERVICES, E-PROCUREMENT, E- GOVERNANCE, RECORD KEEPING, NATIONAL PRIORITY, ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT, NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, SYSTEM, E-SERVICES, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, E-GOVERNMENT, COMPUTER, SYSTEMS ANALYSTS, INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONTENT MANAGEMENT, HARDWARE, NEW TECHNOLOGIES, DIGITAL, COMPUTERS, PROGRAMMING, INFORMATION SERVICES, E-GOVERNMENT AGENDA, CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, DEVELOPMENT OF E-GOVERNMENT, TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, DIGITAL WORLD, FILES, PUBLIC ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT, E-GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES, AUTOMATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORKS, GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY, WEBSITES, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, SERVICE DELIVERY, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, E- GOVERNMENT, DATABASES, ELECTRONIC MEDIA, DIGITAL RIGHTS, GOVERNMENT PORTALS, DIGITAL DIVIDE, ACCESS TO INFORMATION, TECHNOLOGY, PUBLIC SERVANTS, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS, RECORDS MANAGEMENT, COMPUTING, USABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, E-GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES, OPEN GOVERNMENT, SOFTWARE, DIGITAL INFORMATION, BASIC, DELIVERY OF SERVICES, REGISTRY SYSTEMS, ACCESSIBILITY, METADATA, SYSTEMS, TEXT MESSAGING, EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION QUARTERLY, DECISION MAKING, INFORMATION EXCHANGE, ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS, ELECTRONIC FORM, IMAGING, CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, INTERNET, MEDIA, POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY, PUBLIC AGENCIES, COMPUTER APPLICATIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION, SECURITY, TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE, ENGINEERING, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, DIGITAL GOVERNANCE, MESSAGING, STORAGE MEDIA, DISCUSSION FORUM, DIGITAL SYSTEMS, IT, WEBSITE, NEW TECHNOLOGY, AT, PUBLIC ACCESS, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION, ACCESS TO INFORMATION LAWS, PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY, PUBLIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION SOCIETY, TECHNOLOGIES, EGOVERNMENT, E‐GOVERNMENT, DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES, HTML, STORAGE,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2015/08/24869414/one-step-forward-two-steps-backward-e-government-make-governments-developing-countries-more-transparent-accountable http://hdl.handle.net/10986/22496
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!