Generic Models Digital Governance Initiative: egovernance / electronic governance in developing countries

Digital Governance models are continuously evolving-- depending on the uses to which they are put into, the new ICT applications that are becoming possible, and most importantly, the changing political realities in the governance sphere.

There are no rigid and finite models of Digital Governance. Since these models are based on strategic use of information, the possibilities are endless, depending on how innovative and imaginative the governments, the citizen groups, and the internatinonal development agencies can be.

Technology does play an important role- the role of making possible the strategic use of information. As mentioned earlier, e-governance is not about technology, instead it is about identifying what are the key governance needs that need to be fulfilled, and then envisaging models by which these needs could be fulfilled appropriately and with ease. ICT plays the important role of powering these models, making possible information flows (in volumes and speeds) which may not be possible, or in volumes and speed using conventional communication means.

Several developing countries are realizing the role ICT can play in the governance sector, and are putting into practice innovative e-Governance models that may be technologically simple but are drastically changing the way information is distributed in the society.

Based on primary experimentation and secondary research, some generic Digital Governance models which are being practiced in developing countries have been identified. All these models benefit from the the intrinsic characteristics of ICTs, which are:

Enabling equal access to information to anyone who is a linked to the digital network, and
De-concentration of information across the entire digital network.

In simpler terms:

Information does not reside at any one particular level (or node) in Digital Governance Models but gets distributed across all the nodes. This is a fundamental change from the 'hierarchal' information flow structures that allow for unequal distribution of information and open greater possibility of exploitative use of information at all levels. With use of ICT, the information gets distributed along the network and this distribution of information may happen through private access to an ICT node, or through public access or through the use of convergent modes.

The Generic Models