Implementation Challenges: Competing Structures When New Public Management Meets eGovernment

This article discusses practices, opportunities and challenges in local eGovernment project management; the development towards eGovernment and "the 24/7 agency". Analyzing a case against eGovernment success factors we find seven "critical issues"; political timing, resource allocation, political mandate, distinction between administrative and political responsibilities, coordination of departments, dependence on providers, and use of standards. These are issues where development is open for local choice, influences of strong stakeholders, and chance. This situation is a consequence of the prevailing strategic model for the public sector, New Public Management. This model by design leaves these issues in a void which has to be filled by negotiations among many actors with different roles, goals, and action space. The general lesson is that the void needs to be filled strategically; to reduce the risk level and increase the ability to implement policy or it will be open for unexpected turns of events.