Abstract
Since 2000, Sri Lanka has embarked upon a path towards digitalization of most of the government functions and the process of public service delivery in the country. The process started with several disjointed initiatives culminating by 2010 into a full-scale program funded by many international donors around the world. Digital promotion agencies such as the Information Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) and infrastructure development entities such as the Lanka Government Network (LGN) were established, and the process significantly picked up pace in various government agencies and departments. This process, sometimes called e-governance, was set into motion to improve the efficiency of the government operations and public service delivery at all governmental levels. A decade has passed since many primary public services underwent a digital transformation. In this paper, we analyze the digital governance process and assess the efficiency status of public services in the country. We conducted an output-oriented, nonparametric analysis of the performance data by applying data envelopment analysis (DEA). The data were collected through a questionnaire-based field survey. Our findings suggest that most public services have not achieved optimal efficiency levels, and there is still plenty to be achieved by performance enhancement measures that have been adopted by the various agencies of the Sri Lankan government.
Highlights
The advent of the Internet opened collaborative opportunities for businesses and governments around the world
Our findings suggest that most public services have not achieved optimal efficiency levels, and there is still plenty to be achieved by performance enhancement measures that have been adopted by the various agencies of the Sri Lankan government
On constant returns to scale (CRTS), only four entities, i.e., entities with technical efficiency (TE) = 1, are on the efficient level; with variable returns to scale (VRTS), half of the entities are on the efficient level; with the scale adjusted, E6, E10, E11, and E12 are at the efficient level with CRTS (-)
Summary
The advent of the Internet opened collaborative opportunities for businesses and governments around the world. By the end of the last millennium, internet technology had become commonplace, well within reach of ordinary individuals. This phenomenon had two significant outcomes in the arena of public service delivery, i.e., increased awareness of individual rights and higher expectations from public services. The use of ICT resulted in better information dissemination, in addition to enhancing the efficiency of public service delivery in many countries that opted for public service transformation. Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the role of ICT in promoting the efficiency of public services. Findings of such studies support our initial observations in this regard
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
