Publication: One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward? Does E-Government Make Governments in Developing Countries More Transparent and Accountable?
Date
2016-01
ISSN
Published
2016-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Many
countries
are
in
the
process
of
transitioning
from
primarily
paper-‐based
administrative
systems
to
digital
systems
through
the
application
of
information
and
communication
technology
(ICTs)
as
part
of
e-‐Government
initiatives.
Though
much
has
been
written
about
the
positive
power
of
technology
and
information
to
support
greater
transparency
and
accountability
and,
by
extension,
development,
this
paper
discusses
literature
relating
to
the
unintended
consequences
and
downside
risks
for
transparency
and
accountability
associated
with
the
way
recorded
information
is
produced
and
managed
in
digitally
enabled
developing
country
public
sector
contexts.
The
implications
of
these
risks
for
implementation
of
right
to
information
laws
is
discussed,
and
a
call
is
made
for
further
research
and
greater
attention
to
the
effects
of
ICT
use
in
the
public
sector,
especially
in
regard
to
effects
upon
the
operation
of
transparency
and
accountability
mechanisms.
Citation
“Lemieux, Victoria L.. 2016. One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward? Does E-Government Make Governments in Developing Countries More Transparent and Accountable?. WDR 2016 Background Paper;. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/23647 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”