Case Study 4
E-Government Inventory Project
A national level study of the status of information and communication technology adoption in public sector institutions for a developing country in the Caucasus
Client
Government agency for international development
Mandate
Conduct a national level e-Government inventory study of the status of information and communication technology adoption in public sector institutions (country located in the Caucasus).
Methodology
Marmanie developed a template and methodology for conducting this ‘e-government inventory’ assessment in-country, largely through the development of a network lending itself well to tapping primary sources. Secondary sources were also tapped where possible, though not always feasible where information remained non-codified in the informal sphere. Fifteen government ministries were included in this study, as well as the national Central Bank, the Constitutional Court, and the National Assembly (Parliament) of the country.
Outcome
As a result of Marmanie’s work, the agency in question was able to ascertain both the results of its prior years of targeted public sector transformation funding, and inform the future direction of its involvement, with an eye toward the particular nodes of the national ‘ICT’ networks that proved more capable of high absorptive capacity for donor aid. Key results included a recognition of the fact that most Ministries associated with social service delivery (i.e., culture, education, health) remained in all major areas of assessment (i.e., organizational, financial, technical and strategic) poorly positioned to deliver, while all those attached to trade, finance and economy made better use of the technology and funding provided to them.
Value Added
Due to the research skill-set, academic training, and ability to build networks where none existed prior, the Marmanie team was able to provide a thorough, careful and contextualized assessment of the absorptive capacity of the government of a small developing country (including all of its key associated Ministries) to deliver on the country’s ability to use donor aid in their transition to democracy, provision of transparency and effective public service delivery.