Addressing the Impact of E-Development in the Knowledge Economy and Society: Outputs, Outcomes, and Impacts

Abstract

The analysis here is mainly concerned with e-Development applications that facilitate private sector development. The analysis will hinge on the main quantitative and qualitative data on ICT applications available from various sources, ranging from private sector to public sector in both developed and developing countries. The public sector’s role as a facilitator in the promotion and adoption of information technologies is very important. While the private sector maintains the pivotal role in innovation and technology adoption, the public sector has the responsibility of designing and implementing reforms that create an environment conducive to economic growth. e-Development is a valuable tool to foster the interaction between the public and the private sector. Businesses are suppliers to, partners and customers of, and occasionally competitors with the government. A framework to monitor and evaluate e-Development will include a set of indicators which can be used to assess the benefits of implementing e-development projects. While a cost-benefit analysis is not the main focus of this study, the evaluation of e-Development hinges on comparing the costs and benefits of technology-based applications with traditional means of interaction. Both direct and indirect costs should be considered, where direct costs are represented by the resources needed by both the provider and user in implementing and using e-Development programs and systems. Technology brings unprecedented potential to make interactions between the public and the private sector easier, more efficient, and more transparent. Hence, these indicators become part of the evaluation to determine whether and how e-Development can support World Bank interventions in client countries and test the operational sustainability of e-Development-facilitated interventions.