E-government implementation challenges in the UK: a case study at the Trading Standards Department

Abstract

Governments in many countries have invested significantly in building electronic infrastructures to support e–government initiatives. However, there is mixed evidence about the success of e–government initiatives. In this paper, we report the findings of a case study of e–government implementation undertaken recently at a local government authority in the UK. Despite the success of such efforts at National Health Services Direct (NHSD) in the UK, local authorities in the UK have not been able to replicate the success of e–government initiatives at NHSD. Consequently, local authorities in the UK have largely failed to meet the expectations of the UK government. We use the framework proposed by Heeks to understand the underlying reasons for the failure of local authorities to implement e–government. Using a case study at a local authority in the UK, this paper contributes to our understanding about successful implementation and adoption of e–government initiatives at the local level.