A Global Comparative Analysis of Digital Governance Practices

From E-Governance To Digital Governance

As Singh and Byrne (2005: 71) point out, the “Internet and related technologies have made a substantial impact on the way organisations conduct business…around the world.” Governments, too, have made major advances in their efforts to govern more effectively to the extent they have adopted web-based and related technologies. Democracies across the globe have embraced the practice of e-governance to enhance the quality of services they provide to their citizens as well as to business communities. More recently, the reliance on digital governance has become increasingly popular (Carrizales, 2008; Asgarkhani, 2005). Digital governance includes both electronic government (e.g., the use of ICTs to deliver public services) and electronic democracy (e.g., the use of ICTs to promote citizen participation in governance).

One of the most important components of digital governance is augmenting the directional flow of information, communication, resources and services available to the public. As Asgarkhani (2005: 465) points out: “The introduction of digital governance is an attempt to reduce traditional hierarchies in governmental practices and create an environment where information flow is bi-directional. The change from a hierarchical model to a networked and technology-based framework is a fundamental change to the nature of public administration and management, which we have been familiar with in the past.”