Group structural elements in e-Government strategy formulation at local municipal level in South Africa
Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy
ISSN: 1750-6166
Article publication date: 24 April 2018
Issue publication date: 8 June 2018
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify group structural elements that should be assessed in e-Government strategy formulation processes at local government level for service delivery in South Africa. These elements influence the success or effectiveness of the strategy formulation process.
Design/methodology/approach
The theoretical framework of group structural elements by Asplund and nine other strategy formulation-related approaches are reflected upon. Weick’s approach of theory development is used to guide the theoretical analysis. A pragmatic approach is applied to conduct the empirical investigation using a case study of a digital citizen engagement project in South Africa.
Findings
The paper highlights the following group elements that influence the strategy formulation process: group member relations, degree of differentiation within the group and resources of the group. Not addressing these structural elements may result in a lack of creativity or a reluctance to participate in the context of public sector engagement.
Research limitations/implications
The paper does not provide an exhaustive list of all aspects that necessitate assessment before and during a strategy formulation process, for example, organisational and environment structural elements.
Practical implications
Assessing group structural elements provides valuable knowledge on how to engage stakeholders in a joint problem-solving activity. This is particularly pertinent where citizen engagement is fundamental to addressing basic service delivery concerns.
Originality/value
In the South African local municipal context, there is no existing literature that discusses the need to assess group structural elements influencing the outcome of an e-Government strategy formulation process.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa and the “Making All Voices Count” initiative. The researchers also thank the MobiSAM team for their continued support and participation in the project, and generation of practical experience to reflect on.
Citation
Osah, J. and Khene, C. (2018), "Group structural elements in e-Government strategy formulation at local municipal level in South Africa", Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-06-2017-0033
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited