Explaining the Underdevelopment of Rural E-Government

Explaining the Underdevelopment of Rural E-Government

Author: 
Stoica, Virgil
Place: 
Hershey, PA
Publisher: 
IGI Global
Date published: 
2013
Responsibility: 
Ilas, Andrei, jt. author
Editor: 
Mahmood, Zaigham
Journal Title: 
E-Government Implementation and Practice in Developing Countries
Source: 
E-Government Implementation and Practice in Developing Countries
Subject: 
Abstract: 

The advent of information and communications technology led the public administration of many countries to step into a new era. During the last decade, an increasing number of researchers analysed the e-government performance of national governments, regions, and large cities. However, far less attention has been paid to villages and rural areas, probably because their e-government was not a prioritised target for national policies and, consequently, was not developing at the same pace. In fact, rural e-government is nothing but a part of e-government and should be included in e-government policies. However, from a practical point of view, rural e-government raises specific issues, especially in those society where the divide between cities and villages still clearly exists. E-government could significantly improve rural services, support economic development, and encourage citizen engagement. The goal of this research is to assess the rural e-government level in Romania by evaluating five core components: 1) security and personal data protection; 2) usability; 3) content; 4) type of services; and 5) digital democracy. The low scores obtained by the only two measurable components—usability and content—allow one to conclude that Romanian rural e-government is in its early stages. Based on some unexpected collateral conclusions, the authors offer suggestions for future researches and policy makers.

Series: 
Advances in Electronic Government, Digital Divide, and Regional Development

CITATION: Stoica, Virgil. Explaining the Underdevelopment of Rural E-Government edited by Mahmood, Zaigham . Hershey, PA : IGI Global , 2013. E-Government Implementation and Practice in Developing Countries - Available at: http://library.au.int/explaining-underdevelopment-rural-e-government