From E-government to E-governance in Europe

To what extent and in which direction the recent so called “shift from e-government to e-governance systems” takes place in European governments? 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 the shift from e-government to e-governance takes place in European governments. Particularly, the current research presents a view of both challenges and advantages of implementing e-governance strategies, by examining how closely and critically intertwined e-government and e-governance are in European countries. It also addresses an identifiable gap in the relevant literature which is the extent to which the recent so called “shift from e-government to e-governance systems” takes place in European governments. Sixteen different national European cases are considered. The findings support the view that policy makers should exercise careful consideration of e-government pressures and implementation that is performed via the different e-governance strategies for purposes of consistency and alignment with the planned outcome and the human capacities involved.