Digital government and its effectiveness in public management reform - A local government perspective

Today, access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) plays an essential role in economic and social development. Accelerated change in the introduction of ICT-enabled solutions can potentially transform all aspects of society, work, business and government. E-technologies and ICT-enabled solutions bring about new forms of governance in the public sector. It is evident that the Internet and Web-based technologies have both had a profound effect on the ways in which the public sector functions. This article examines the effectiveness and the value of digital government as a strategic tool for public management reform. It addresses differing views and perceptions of the implications of digital government; elaborates on the 'digital divide' and its impact on the success of digital government; and outlines the results of a preliminary study of the effectiveness of a digital local government initiative.