e-Governance Initiatives in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Strategy formulation for re-inventing  Good Governance

Class Roll# 545

Exam Roll # 000484

Department of Business Administration, Jahangirnagar University

 

Executive Summary: New information and communication technologies can make a significant contribution to the achievement of good governance goals.  This 'e-governance' can make governance more efficient and more effective, and bring other benefits too.  Paper demonstrates the corruptions and week governance in Bangladesh and move ahead with providing brief literature survey. With the analyzing of current e-readiness situation in Bangladesh it moved forward id determining a comprehensive model for e-governance considering 4 front-stage and 4 back-stage operation of government. Any government can adopt this model not only deliver a better citizen service but also internalization of concept of e-governance. Latter the model of e-governance is justified with a road map where 7 different steps of initiatives were outlined for formulating strategies for better governance.

e-Governance project selection and evaluation is a very crucial for success in establishing good governance, three models were proposed in selecting projects and evaluating their performance. Small and strong controllable projects are recommended as e-Governance initiatives which would be a part of bigger picture of e-Governance.            

 

Finally e-Governance is analyzed with concept of business management, some new look has been given in re-invention process of societal information system with scope to formulate e-governance strategy by any government.  

 

 


Table of contents

 

Executive Summary. 1

1. Background of the Study. 3

2.0 Formulation of Research Problem.. 4

3.0 Research objectives. 4

5.0 Methodology. 5

6.0 Literature reviews. 5

6.1 Definition of e-Governance. 6

6.2 Interactions in e-governance. 7

6.3 Models of e-governance. 7

6.4 Business perspectives in e-Governance. 8

7.0 Environmental and situational analysis and its results. 10

7.1 Regulatory framework/harmonization. 11

7.2 Government policies. 11

7.3 Re-thinking of government system.. 12

7.3.1 Citizen/business participation. 12

7.3.2 Government’s Operation to support participation. 13

8.0 e-Governance Strategy formulation for good governance. 14

8.1 Strategic dimensions and Focus. 14

8.2. A New Model of e-Governance. 15

8.3 Road Map of e-Governance. 17

8.4. A priority ranking model 20

8.4.1 General Preference Model 20

8.4.2 D. Priority Ranking Model 20

8.5 Methods for implementing of e-Governance project. 21

8.6 Analytical framework for assessing of e-Governance initiatives. 22

9.0 Recommendations and implementation strategies. 22

10.0 Conclusion. 23

11. Reference: 24


1. Background of the Study

“As a developing country Bangladesh has given serious attention to rationalize its administrative organizations, financial and personnel systems and rules and procedures for achieving efficiency and transparency in public service commensurate with the country's socio-political and economic aspirations.”

            ___ Fifth Five year Plan, Planning Commission Bangladesh

Since independence in 1971, the economic development of Bangladesh has been hindered by the addition of newer problems to existing ones. The above quote has been taken from Fifth Five Year Plan, noted that government has a vision to increase its capacity for achieving transparency and accountability for good governance. Reality in achieving these goals with hundreds of projects costing couple of thousand core money[1]. After spending 555 crore taka in public administration, Bangladesh became 133rd (at the bottom of 133 listed country) most corrupted country for three subsequent years on the basis of Transparency International Corruption Index[2].    Lack of transparency and accountability, authoritarian rule and despotism is observed in all departments of the government. These multifarious reasons together with the absence of free flow of information mean that corruption is spreading in Bangladesh on a massive scale.

 

Accountability, transparency, decentralization, administrative reform, and satisfaction of public service by its clients are key problem areas in the present governance system in Bangladesh. e-Governance and exploring the potential role of IT sector to bring about a radical change to improve the situation[3]. In this aspect this is the time to analyze the e-governance and provide support for formulating strategies through an academic research. The focus in this paper is to formulate some strategies to re-invent good governance which is long expected in Bangladesh. This paper also provides some guideline on introducing e-governance for economic development with specifying some project idea and their priority ranking and evaluation strategies.

2.0 Formulation of Research Problem 

The majorities understanding of e-governance is electronic delivery of government services to the people whereas the potential for e-governance is beyond electronic delivery of government services to the people. This problem in conceptualization of e-government effect the action plans to harvest benefits. Again the conception in the wrong direction contributes time and resource lost for a developing country like Bangladesh.   

In this research, E-Governance means its real sense is the use of information and communication technologies to support good governance. It moves beyond old 'IT in government[4]. The areas of e-administration, e-citizen and e-services initiatives, and the government-related components of e-society together represent a Networked Government model for e-governance, the overall aim of which is to more effectively utilize ICTs (Information Communication Technology) for good governance reforms. These new connections strengthen existing relationships and build new partnerships within the civil society. Moreover there is not enough local academic research initiatives to frame this new reality associated with economic development of this country. In this research the topic is entitled as “ e-Governance initiatives in Bangladesh : Analysis of strategy formulations for re-inventing  good governance has two distinct parts - strategy formulation and re-invention of good governance. Firstly, Good governance means as effective and efficient ‘undertaking of activities, management of resources, organization of men and women by groups of people, communities, local government bodies, business organizations and brunches of state (legislature, Judiciary and Government) through social, political, administrative and economic arrangements that meet the daily needs of people and  ensure sustainable development”[5]. secondly strategy formulation for re-invention means articulating strategies in specifically defining interactions of government with a clearly stated road map, defining priority ranking strategy to rationale initiatives and evaluation and management of e-Governance initiatives. These two aspects are briefly discussed in this paper.   

3.0 Research objectives

This research is primarily deals with missing points in strategy formulation for re-invention of e-governances which are also objectives of this research. In strategy formulation three following objectives are expected to incorporate:

  1. Determining current situation of e-Governance in Bangladesh (e-readiness)..
  2. To design a roadmap of e-Government for development ( Strategic Planning)
  3. Developing a priority ranking model to visualize country’s current position in e-governance or ICT for development ( prioritizing)
  4. Defining the methods for implementing and operating of e-Governance project.
  5. Analytical framework for assessing of e-Governance initiatives.

5.0 Methodology

The empirical tools usually play the central role at the early stage of the design of an e-Governance assessment, evaluation as well as formulate strategies. However, these tools are only one of the dimensions that should be taken into account. The implementation process, in its various components, is another important dimension along which governance assessment can vary and serve different purposes. In particular, brief reviews of research were studied for preparation of this paper including government publications, international public administration journals, books, periodicals and long list of web sites.

6.0 Literature reviews

Widespread poverty in Bangladesh has been a driver to corruption in both public and private sectors as individuals seek bribes in order to maintain their livelihoods.  Such practices are widely accepted in the country[6]. These practices are not only hindered the progress of economic development but also fallen the country in a vicious circle of poverty. It has a multiplier effect in the internal investment, entrepreneurship and safety and security of normal citizen life. In these circumstances, with a pressure of donor agency, the country just prepared a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) with principles of Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF, proposed by the World Bank in early 1999) to formulate action plans toward development. Here is given a quote from PRSP:

“A competent and motivated public administration system is central to achieving the poverty reduction and development goals of the strategy. The Government would establish the office of the Ombudsman and establish an independent Anti-Corruption Commission along with measures to expedite investigation procedures to ensure better governance”.                  

 

It is a matter of regret that all of our plans and programs, election mandates, motto of political parties sounds good and affects nothing. Lack of leadership, incentives and motivation to work, level of knowledge and understanding, poor education system as well as our long suffering poor socio-economic conditions, often creates obstacles in performing own task. We love to talk much rather demonstrating implementation of a certain task. This gap between planning and actions holds us behind the race in this 21st century.

One of the most recent inspiring news is the government’s action plan in formulating strategy for ensuring good governance through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) which have a valuable potential to help meet good governance goals in developing countries. With leading by Prime Minister, 60 members team attended the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) at Geneva, Switzerland (10-12 December 2003) where it was declared that:

“Our common desire and commitment to build a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving their quality of life, premised on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and respecting fully and upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”

Bangladesh is ideally is stepping into building information society and going for introducing electronic governance which offers an opportunity for governments to get closer to the citizen and to build a partnership with diverse communities of interest, practice, expertise, conviction, and inter-dependence[7].

6.1 Definition of e-Governance

Several dimension and related factor influenced the definition of e-Governance. Most of researcher defined e-Governance based on their understanding. Dr. Richard Heeks (2001) defined e-governance is “the use of information and communication technologies to support good governance.  It moves beyond old 'IT in government' models thanks to the new digital connections that ICTs permit.  These new connections strengthen existing relationships and build new partnerships within civil society. e-Governance therefore embraces e-Government, e-Citizen and e-Business. The action, purpose and relatedness were absence in this definition which is very cleverly defined in the Professor Relies definition of e-Governance, he defined e-Governance “an opportunity for governments to get closer to the citizen and to build a partnership with diverse communities of interest, practice, expertise, conviction, and inter-dependence.  In this definition management perspectives are not present. I would emphasis here to redefine the definition of e-Governance in a management perspective:  

 the "electronic management of the state", namely the utilization of information and communication technologies (ICT), including Internet technologies, in the work of country or state bodies[8]

6.2 Interactions in e-governance

The three main target groups that can be distinguished in e-governance concepts are government, citizens and businesses. Abbreviations such as B2B (Business to Business) and B2C (Business to Consumer) are used, like in e-commerce concepts, to shortly describe which of the main groups are interacting. The most common interactions in e-governance, G2C, G2B and G2G, are presented schematically in Figure 1.

Citizen

Business

NGOs

 

 

 

Central Gov.

 

 

 

 

Local Gov.

G2G

G2G

G2C

G2B

 

G2G

Government B

Citizen

Business

NGOs

 

 

 

Central Gov.

 

 

 

 

Local Gov.

G2G

G2G

G2C

G2B

 

G2G

Government A

         Inter government