Drivers of effective e-government implementation: Trajectory of Kazakhstan’s E-government rankings

Abstract

Countries around the world have realized the importance of e-government in making their services more efficient and readily available to citizens. Similarly, almost all countries are assessed and ranked by international organizations (such as the United Nations) on their level of e-government development. This paper examines the factors that determine effective e-government implementation and the trajectory of Kazakhstan’s e-government rankings as recorded by the United Nations E-Government Survey (EGDI). The study found that Kazakhstan has consistently scored the highest EGDI among its Central Asian neighbors and has also performed well globally. While the trends are encouraging, Kazakhstan should develop clear strategies that address citizens’ concerns about the use of e-government services. An important element of these strategies should be a shift in mind-set away from traditional closed systems to open systems kinds of policy development and delivery, that elicit higher public participation and economic innovation. In this way, the fuller potential of e-government could be realized.