Government E-Service Delivery with Public-Private Partnership Approach in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study on Mymensingh District
https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.daengku3880
Keywords:
e-governance, e-service delivery, UDC, public-private partnership, Bangladesh
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Abstract
This article provides a comprehensive examination and assessment of the e-services delivery of government through Union Digital Centers (UDCs). The emergence of electronic governance has resulted in the accelerated delivery of electronic services in different countries, including Bangladesh, with the aim of promoting socio-economic progress. Nonetheless, the notion of the “digital divide” or “digital gap” imposes constraints on its overall efficacy with e- services delivery as it exacerbates the socioeconomic disparity between affluent and impoverished individuals. In relation to the digital divide, existing literature indicates that tele-centers have predominantly been unsuccessful in reaching the intended demographic of the most impoverished individuals. The present study employed a survey methodology to gather data from a sample of 150 participants situated across 6 distinct Union Digital Centers (UDCs) of Mymensingh District. The results of the study suggest a favorable outcome with regards to the accessibility, affordability, convenience, and provision of services. However, it is imperative to enhance the implementation of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in order to achieve the desired outcomes in the field of e-governance.
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Sakib, N., Upama, P B., & Proma, H T. (2016, December 15). A Boost-Up Mechanism for High Performance E-Governance in Bangladesh. https://10.5120/ijca2016912421
Salam, M. A. (2017). E-Governance for Good Governance: Experiences from Public Service Delivery. Communications on Applied Electronics (CAE), 7(3), 26–29. https://www.caeaccess.org/archives/volume7/number3/salam-2017-cae-652619.pdf
Savas, E., S. (2000). Privatization and Public-Private Partnerships. New York: Chatham House.
Skelcher, C. (2007). Public private partnerships and hybridity. In The Oxford Handbook of Public Management, E. Ferlie, L.E. Lynn, & C. Pollitt (Eds.) NY: Oxford University Press.
The Business Standard. (2021, November 22). Digital centres create entrepreneurs in rural Bangladesh. The Business Standard. https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/digital-centres-create-entrepreneurs-rural-bangladesh-332866
van Dijk, J., & Hacker, K. (2003). The digital divide as a complex and dynamic phenomenon. The Information Society, 19(4), 315-326, doi:10.1080/01972240309487
Warschauer, M. (2004). Technology and social inclusion: Rethinking the digital divide. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
Young, J., Ridley, G., & Ridley, J. (2001). A preliminary evaluation of online access centres: Promoting micro e-business activity in small, isolated communities, The Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries, 4. Available at http://www.is.cityu.edu.hk/ejisdc/vol4.htm
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. (2014). Statistical Pocket Book 2014, Dhaka: Ministry of Planning.
Baqir, M., Palvia, P. & Latif, A. (2007). Antecedents of e-Government success: A phenomenological Study. In Proceedings of the American Conference on Information Systems.
Calista, D. J., & Melitski, J. (2007). E-government and e-governance: Converging constructs of sector information and communications technologies. Public Administration Quarterly, 31(1/2), pp. 87-120.
Carter L., & Bélanger F. (2006). The Effects of the Digital Divide on E-Government: An Emperical Evaluation. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS'06), Kauai, Hawaii, 2006, pp. 81c. doi:10.1109/HICSS.2006.464
Claps, M. (2012). The Do’s and Don'ts of Public-Private Partnerships. Gartner, 10 February, G00229098. Cullen, R. (2003). The digital divide: A global and national call to action. The Electronic Library, 21(3), 247-257, https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470310480506
Dixit, V. (2009). Telecentres: The new public spheres?. In G. Sahu, Y. Dwivedi, & V. Weerakkody (Eds.), E-Government Development and Diffusion: Inhibitors and Facilitators of Digital Democracy (pp. 281-298). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-60566-713-3.ch016
Donahue, J. D. (2010). The race: Can collaboration outrun rivalry between American business and government? Public Administration Review, 70(Special Issue), S151-S152.
Fink, C. & Kenny, C., J. (2003). W(h)ither the digital divide? Info, 5(6), 15-24, https://doi.org/10.1108/14636690310507180
Forrer, J., Kee, J.E., Newcomer, K.E. & Boyer, E. (2010). Public-private partnerships and the public accountability question. Public Administration Review, 70(3), 475-484.
Ganim, A M., & Kamruzzaman. (2014, March 1). E-governance using social network: A model for strong democratic environment in Bangladesh. https:// 10.1109/iccitechn.2014.6997328
Gómez-Barroso, J., L. & Feijóo, C. (2010). A conceptual framework for public-private interplay in the telecommunications sector. Telecommunications Policy, 34(9), 487-495.
Government of Bangladesh. (2009). Union Parishad Act-2009. http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd. http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-1027.html
Greve, C. (2015). Ideas in Public Management Reform for the 2010s: Digitalization, Value Creation and Involvement. Public Organization Review, 15(1), 49–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-013-0253-8
Hancox, M. & Hackney, R. (1999). Information technology outsourcing: Conceptualizing practice in the public and private sector aims of the research context of the research. In Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
Hodge, G., A. & Greve, C. (2009). PPPs: The passage of time permits a sober reflection. Economic Affairs, 33- 39.
Knowledge Lab. (2018, March 20), What is a PPP: Defining "Public-Private Partnership". Retrieved from https://pppknowledgelab.org/guide/sections/3-what-is-a-ppp-defining-public-private-partnership
Langford, J. & Roy, J. (2006). E-government and public-private partnership in Canada: When failure is no longer an option. International Journal of Electronic Business, 4(2), 118-135.
Mahiuddin, K., M. & Hoque, S., M. (2013) Enabling E-Services for Rural Community Through Union Information and Service Centers (UISCS), Journal of the Department of Government and Politics, 32, 49-57.
Marschollek, O., Beck, R. & Gregory, R. (2010). Psychological contract violation in IT megaprojects in the context of public private partnership- The German Toll Collect case. In Proceedings of the 18th European Conference on Information Systems.
Maskin, E. & Tirole, J. (2008). Public-private partnerships and government spending limits. International Journal of Industrial Organization, 26(2), 412-420.
McConnell, S. (2001). Telecentres Around the World: Issues to be Considered and Lessons Learned, ICT Development Group, Richmond.
Misnikov, Y. (2003). How ICTs can serve good governance, How good governance can serve e-government and how regional cooperation can serve Information Society”, LGI Journal, Budapest, Winter- 2003, pp.17- 23.
Moore M. & Hartley J. (2008) Innovations in governance, Public Management Review, 10:1, 3-20, doi:10.1080/14719030701763161
Ng, S.T., Wong, Y.M.W. & Wong, J.M.W. (2010). A structural equation model of feasibility evaluation and project success for public–private partnerships in Hong Kong. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 57(2), 310-322.
Sakib, N., Upama, P B., & Proma, H T. (2016, December 15). A Boost-Up Mechanism for High Performance E-Governance in Bangladesh. https://10.5120/ijca2016912421
Salam, M. A. (2017). E-Governance for Good Governance: Experiences from Public Service Delivery. Communications on Applied Electronics (CAE), 7(3), 26–29. https://www.caeaccess.org/archives/volume7/number3/salam-2017-cae-652619.pdf
Savas, E., S. (2000). Privatization and Public-Private Partnerships. New York: Chatham House.
Skelcher, C. (2007). Public private partnerships and hybridity. In The Oxford Handbook of Public Management, E. Ferlie, L.E. Lynn, & C. Pollitt (Eds.) NY: Oxford University Press.
The Business Standard. (2021, November 22). Digital centres create entrepreneurs in rural Bangladesh. The Business Standard. https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/digital-centres-create-entrepreneurs-rural-bangladesh-332866
van Dijk, J., & Hacker, K. (2003). The digital divide as a complex and dynamic phenomenon. The Information Society, 19(4), 315-326, doi:10.1080/01972240309487
Warschauer, M. (2004). Technology and social inclusion: Rethinking the digital divide. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
Young, J., Ridley, G., & Ridley, J. (2001). A preliminary evaluation of online access centres: Promoting micro e-business activity in small, isolated communities, The Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries, 4. Available at http://www.is.cityu.edu.hk/ejisdc/vol4.htm
Published
2025-04-30
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How to Cite
Sarker, A. (2025). Government E-Service Delivery with Public-Private Partnership Approach in Rural Bangladesh: A Case Study on Mymensingh District. Daengku: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Innovation, 5(2), 287-298. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.daengku3880
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