| dc.description.abstract | This paper examines how e-government is conceptualized and the possible relationship with the
expected impacts of e-government in a developing world context. The aim is to shed some light on
why e-government initiatives often fail in developing world contexts. This research was based on an
exhaustive survey among government agencies and consultants in Kenya. The dimension of egovernment
impacts was initially operationalized in terms of connectivity, openness, efficiency and
effectiveness. Government conceptualizations could be classified under tool view; proxy view;
ensemble view; computational view and nominal view. Interestingly, the empirical data yielded very
different impact factors than originally envisaged, which were enhanced interactions and accessibility,
enhanced cooperation and awareness, a better connected public administration and enhanced citizen
opportunities. Canonical function analysis found a supply-side focus which linked connected
government to the conceptualization of e-government as an Evolving Artifact. The main contribution of
this paper lies in highlighting the fact that the implementation of western information technologies in
developing countries will be shaped by how their impacts are perceived. Thus both purveyors of the
technologies and researchers can be made aware that, because of the very different expectations
and contexts, these technologies may be conceptualized differently than in developed countries. In
addition, the paper demonstrates a practical research approach to assist in uncovering these
conceptualizations more explicitly. | en |
