The triad dimensions model: a case for strategic approach towards successful E-governance in the developing world

Abstract

The study highlights African issues related to its general poor and underdeveloped state, a context within which various strategies for helping in alleviation of the undesirable conditions are explored. One such and probably the most important latest strategy is the popular new public management (NPM) strategy from which eGovernance concept among other innovation transfer programs are prescribed in African context. After an extensive review of the expanding role of ICT in modern organizations and especially in public administration, it is revealed that there is no agreement among either academicians or ICT projects implementation practitioners regarding one single theoretical orientation or practical model for understanding role modern role of ICT or even eGovernment systems in organizations mainly due to the various frameworks and orientations in the subject matter. This fact is blamed for failures attributable to huge design-reality gaps. Further specific literature reviews on eGovernment area also testify to similar disintegration of models and theoretical orientations which could be attributed to the high failure rates of eGovernment projects in Africa. There is also strong evidence that eGovernment innovation may not be successfully transferable from West to Africa without high such projects failures or lagging behind schedules as is the case in Kenya and many other nations. Given the above scenarios, the study proposes a three (triad) dimensions model which is deemed most appropriate for eGovernment systems study and implementation in Africa. The proposed model is deemed appropriate because it not only takes care of the initial conceptualization of eGovernment systems but also could help in the entire management process of eGovernment project Iife cycle.