Observing organisational transformation of the public sector in the e-government era

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to develop a more comprehensive framework that would provide better insight into the characteristics of organisational transformation (OT) of the public sector organisations in the e-government era. Despite the widespread opinion that successful implementation of information communication technology (ICT) is strongly correlated with the appropriate OT of the public sector, a critical analysis of the available literature within the field indicates that this important dimension of e-government development has been dealt with only partially. Accordingly, the paper attempts the following: to develop a more comprehensive framework for observing OT, to empirically explain the framework through analysis of three Slovenian e-government projects and to develop some general characteristics of ICT-induced OT in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – The development of the framework is based on an analysis of the available literature, whereas the explanation of such is based on a multiple-case study approach. Findings – The paper contributes to a clearer understanding of what the main characteristics of OT in the e-government era are and how they should be observed. Research limitations/implications – The findings can help researchers to more accurately focus their attention on the most critical aspects of OT. The identified attributes can provide an important basis for future research, particularly from the methodological perspective. Practical implications – The framework can help public managers to focus their attention on the most important attributes of ICT-induced OT to exploit ICT potentials more efficiently. Originality/value – The paper attempts to demystify the concept of OT in the e-government field and place it in a more solid theoretical and empirically explained framework.