Title: Evaluating e-government initiatives: the role of formative assessment during implementation

Authors: Maddalena Sorrentino; Katia Passerini

Addresses: Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Aziendali e Statistiche, Via Conservatorio 7, 20122 Milano, Italy. ' School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology, New York, NJ 07102, USA

Abstract: The paper addresses theory-based e-government assessments and reviews the limitations of current methods based on summative evaluation and delivery benchmarking. It proposes the use of in itinere formative evaluation as a tool to better understand complex programs that involve various constituencies and to provide feedback on the design, adoption and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems. Moving the evaluation process from summative to formative elevates it to a cognitive tool that can steer policy outcomes in the desired direction. The preliminary findings of applying this model to an antipollution e-government initiative confirm the relevance and potential of such an approach.

Keywords: ICT; information technology; communications technology; e-government implementation; electronic government; formative evaluation; summative evaluation; formative assessment; policy inquiry; organisation theory; case study; benchmarking; indicators; rationality.

DOI: 10.1504/EG.2012.046265

Electronic Government, an International Journal, 2012 Vol.9 No.2, pp.128 - 141

Published online: 22 Nov 2014 *

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