Proposition of a Method for the Development and Deployment of e-Government Systems that Emphasize Good Governance

Abstract

Although it is commonly agreed that e-government systems enhance governance, there is a lack of empirical evidence to build upon this hypothesis which, legitimately, creates reluctance among key decision makers to adopt e-government, especially in local governmental agencies in developing countries, In the context of the e-Fez project and in a close collaboration with the municipality of the Moroccan city of Fez, we developed a pilot e-government system that facilitates citizens' access to governmental information and services. In the course of the e-Fez project and other similar projects, we set up a methodology that emphasizes good governance at each step of an e-government project and enables us to continuously assess the outcomes of the resulting e-gov systems on governance. The ultimate goal is to reduce the reluctance of decision makers and to contribute in the dissemination of e-technology in developing countries through a scientific and proven methodology that systematically links egovernment outcomes to good governance attributes.