Open Government and Citizen Participation in the Web Portals of Ecuador GADM

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an investigation that analyzed the services of citizen participation and open government offered by the municipal governments of Ecuador in their web pages. It is a study of quantitative and descriptive approach that has studied a sample 121 web portals using a rubric designed by researchers and evaluated by experts. Heading evaluated the presence of services and tools for citizen participation (Nine in total). The most relevant results indicate that citizen participation services offered are minimal compared to the five forms of citizen participation contained in the Act of Citizen Participation, portals have moderate information about participatory budget and an incipient use of the empty chair. Open governance indicators such as perceived quality of public services are not listed on any country’s municipal website and others like the number of existing virtual courses are just outlined in two portals. The incipient degree of citizen participation suggests that the municipal e-government in Ecuador has not reached the transactional level, characterized by UNESCO for two-way communication between government and citizens. Web portals of municipalities in the Sierra region have a slightly higher development compared to that of the other regions.