The Contribution of Sociotechnical Systems Thinking to the Effective Adoption of e‑Government and the Enhancement of Democracy

Abstract

This paper reports a study which reviewed the literature and explored the approaches adopted by a small sample of local government bodies engaged in implementing e‑Government. The findings suggest that the e‑Government implementation process underway in the UK does not embody the principles of widening democracy and increasing social inclusion. The empirical data reveal limited citizen engagement the design, development or implementation process. The paper discusses the potential contribution to be made by adopting a sociotechnical systems approach in which citizens engage with IT professionals and informationservice providers to identify needs, to test options and to achieve shared goals of e‑Government.