Technology Governance Challenges in e-Government Projects: Health Information Systems in India

Information Technology (IT) governance has been a topic of interest and concern amongst information systems researchers and practitioners alike. Although it has been widely studied in the context of business firms, there is a paucity of research on how technology governance is effected in the e-government context. The importance of this can hardly be exaggerated given the extensive funding in e-government projects and the growing dependence on technology to deliver citizen centric services. This study aims to use secondary data on the Health Management Information Systems project in India, as a single case study to highlight the processes, structures and mechanisms used to effect IT governance in an e-government context while also using the same to highlight potential gaps between the intended governance policy and implementation. Through this, the study aims to highlight the need for more conscious attempts at anticipating and resolving information technology governance challenges in the e-government context.