E-Government, Accountability, and Performance: A Comparative Analysis between European Governments

Abstract

This paper will be presented at the EGPA Conference, St Julian’s, Malta, September 2-5, 2009. To what extent do e-government influence accountability and performance in the public sector? Given the growing importance of performance and accountability in government, discussion has not been as robust as it should be regarding the role of e-government in understanding these challenges. Much has been claimed and written about the influence of e-government on the modernization and growth of public sector initiatives in Europe. Little is known, however, about how e-government influence the accountability and performance of governments. The paper presents a view of both challenges and advantages of implementing e-government in the area of governments in Europe. It combines the areas of e-government, accountability, and performance in the public sector and examines how closely and critically intertwined they are in ten European countries.

Keywords: e-government, European countries, performance measurement, services delivery, performance

JEL Classification: L39, M19, M49