ABSTRACT
According to a United Nations (2004) report, e-government is “the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and its application by the government for the provision of information and public services to the people.” The potential benefits of e-government are manifold: improved transparency, accountability, and access and increased trust in government. In the first decade of the 21st century, many countries launched e-government initiatives, which not only facilitate government reform, but also promote economic development and social progress. Chinese governmental organizations—in the most critical stage of industrialized, informationized, and modernized development—are also depending on information technology to better perform their functions in economic growth, market development, social advancements, and public service. However, in the current post-informationization era, when the first upsurge of theoretical exploration and construction practice of e-government has receded, we are still unable to present satisfactory answers to questions raised in the process of e-government development. During the Tenth Five-Year Plan period (2001–2005), the objective of promoting e-government was to enhance administrative efficiency. After 2008, however, the objective was redefined as strengthening social management and public service in the Annual Report of the Work of the Government (Zhang and Guo 2014). 2
