The Relational Dynamics of E-Governance

Abstract

The emergence of e-government unleashed a rhetorical promise perhaps unparalleled in previous phases of public sector reform. Client-centric government made possible through the advent of integrated portals, new forms of public-private partnerships, and better overall performance through the leveraging of on-line applications and new information technologies (IT) are often-heard claims. This case study presents the combined role of portals and partnerships in one segment of the transformative experience promised by the vision of e-government. Ottawa’s experience may provide insights for other governments in the process of moving on-line, and it can also be helpful in testing some of the conceptual claims put forth by both proponents and critics of e-government as a theoretical model for public sector reform.