Central geographic region of the Americas (Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panamá, Nicaragua).
Published in Chapter:
E-Government for Transparency, Anti-Corruption, and Accountability: Challenges and Opportunities for Central American Countries
Ana Corojan (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain) and J. Ignacio Criado (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain)
Copyright: © 2012
|Pages: 23
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-0324-0.ch016
Abstract
This chapter discusses the development of e-Government in Central American countries. The study presents an analysis of the role that e-Government has played during the last decade (2000-2010) in order to promote transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption measures. It starts with a definition of the principal concepts of the study and the e-Government development in the Region. It then reviews the laws and regulations and analyzes Web technology deployment in new agencies that have been legally established by Central American governments to advance transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption initiatives. In this context, the research aims to explore the question about whether information and communication technologies (specifically e-Government) facilitate transparency and accountability, and limit corruption in developing countries. The results provide support to this general statement and also suggest that public institutions themselves, and their non-digital procedures, still play a significant role in promoting more transparent practices. Finally, the text concludes with how to reinforce the policy of employing digital technology as an instrument for promoting good government in emerging economies.