Understanding E-government benefits - An examination of leading-edge local governments

Past research on the topic of e-government activities is heavily rooted in describing technological innovation in terms of a maturational model. Apparently, technological innovation has occurred incrementally-and the benefits, if realized, are slow to accrue. This research examines the utility of maturational models in understanding the achievement of e-govemment benefits. The findings are predicated on a retrospective panel analysis of how public organizations realize the benefits of technological innovations. This study revealed that although a maturational model may be helpful for describing aggregate efforts, it is less useful in understanding the potential for individual gains. Based on the results of this sample, rapid advances, nonlinear activities, and permeable boundaries are important determinants of achieving the benefits of technological innovation and, thus, worthy of ongoing research.