Implementation of e-Government at the Local Level in Underdeveloped Countries: the Case Study of AP Vojvodina

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to collect and articulate experiences acquired in implementation of e-Government in Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (Serbia) aimed at speeding up diminution of the gap in the level of local e-Government development when compared to the developed countries, while taking into consideration the main constraints that are attributable to underdeveloped countries. Design/methodology/approach – Contemporary methodologies were used for the project design and implementation of the communication and information infrastructure, accompanied with international and domestic good practices related to the development of e-Government. Findings – Based on the strategic recommendations related to ICT policy and standards, and annual operating plans, in the first five-year period (2005-2010) the level of the ICT deployment in the operation of AP Vojvodina Assembly and Government was achieved that is close to the level of e-Government in the developed countries in early 2006. The computer communication network was developed in the buildings of AP Vojvodina Assembly and Government and electronic communication was fully embraced within that network (2007). All activities pertaining to sessions of the Government of AP Vojvodina are conducted electronically, without paper documents (2007), and the electronic voting system was implemented in sessions of the AP Vojvodina Assembly (2009). Several public electronic services were implemented: Library (2006), Portal APV (2007), Records and Archives Office (2010), Legal Regulations and Judicial Practice (2009), Distance Learning (2009) and Access to Records from Sessions of AP Vojvodina Government (2010). Another important result is development of the system aimed at improving IT literacy for all employees in provincial administrative bodies. The results indicate that the creative leadership, careful planning and strict management of implementation plans which are based on precise goals could facilitate a speedy development of e-Government even under severe constraints in financial and technical resources. Originality/value – Recommendations were made for the development of e-Government at the local level, to ensure interoperability with subordinate and superior e-Governments. Recommendations contain models of computer communication networks, software architectures, programme platforms and the strategy for implementation of e-Government.