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Models of Digital Governance

Models of Digital Governance are continuously evolving and improvising to harness the potential offered by the ICT and deal with new realities in the area of governance. There are no rigid and finite models of Digital Governance. In fact several developing countries are putting into practice innovative e-Governance models that may technologically simple but are changing the way information is distributed in the society.

Based on primary experimentation and secondary research, a few generic models which have emerged and are being practiced have been identified. 

These Digital Governance models should be examined in light of discussions on the Concept/Home page on:

• Emergence of knowledge societies and knowledge networkers

• Role of information in governance process, and

• the link between ICT and governance.

 All these models share in common, the inherent characteristics of the new technologies which are:  

• Enabling equal access to information to anyone who is a linked to the digital network, and

• De-concentration of information across the entire digital network.

Photo Courtesy : UNDP  website

In simpler terms:

Information does not reside at any one particular level (or node) in Digital Governance Models but gets distributed across all the nodes- a fundamental change from the current 'hierarchal' information flow structures which leads to unequal distribution of information and opens up greater possibility of its exploitative use at all levels. This distribution of information may happen through direct access to an ICT node, public access or through the use of convergent modes. (See the Concept/Home page on what Digital Governance implies)

Generic Models

• Broadcasting / Wider-Dissemination Model

• Critical Flow Model

• Comparative Analysis Model

• E-Advocacy/ Lobbying and Pressure Group Model

• Interactive- Service Model 

Each of these models exhibit several variations dependent on the local situation and the nature of governance activities conducted through these models.