Critical Success Factors in E-Democracy Implementation

Abstract

Most e-democracy implementation has experienced mixed success; some have failed to meet up with the demand of the dedicated advocates while some are battling with a lot of replication of efforts within countries driving full-fledged e-participation across their governmental bodies. Ensuring success in e-democracy implementation requires harmonizing the technological, economic, political, legal, and cultural issues pertaining to e-democracy. Barriers to greater online citizen engagement in policy making are not technological but cultural, organizational, and constitutional. This chapter will provide an in-depth description of key issues to consider in making participatory e-democracy user friendly, effective, and deliver the expected outcomes. Important issues pertinent to the success of e-democracy project were explored. These are technological, social, and political issues that make for good success in e-democracy implementation. These are beyond the traditional concerns of the digital divide.