E-government implementation challenges in developing countries: The project manager’s perspective

E-Government is a global trend with far-reaching benefits if implemented in the optimal way. All nations irrespective of whether they are considered as developed or developing economies, invest in the formation of strategies furthering their e-government agenda. While e-government has attracted extensive interest for over a decade leading to a maturing field, developing countries that are EU members have some particularities that must be taken into account. This research focuses on the critical success factors of e- government adoption by developing EU countries, using the Republic of Cyprus as a case study. This research identifies the financial position of a nation and its e-readiness level, as well as the infrastructure facilities and technological innovations, political and legal frameworks as key factors that influence the level of e-government adoption. Furthermore, organisational and institutional aspects, as well as the socio- cultural characteristics, should not be underestimated, as these factors are crucial barriers to e-government adoption. The specific country’s environmental cognition and consciousness is found to be more influential in this case than what literature on other cases suggest. Transformational leadership is recommended as a way motivate, build trust and create the necessary shared vision.