E-Government and Anti-Corruption: Empirical Analysis of International Data

Abstract

Case studies demonstrate that e-government is an effective tool to reduce corruption by promoting good governance and strengthening reform-oriented actors. Specifically, e-government can reduce corrupt behaviors externally by enhancing relationships with citizens and internally by more effectively controlling and monitoring employees' behaviors. This study examines the impact of e-government on corruption using national level data. The impacts of other traditional factors—bureaucratic professionalism, bureaucratic quality, and law enforcement—proposed by the public administration literature are also examined. Statistical analysis reveals that e-government has a consistently positive impact on reducing corruption, as do the traditional anti-corruption factors.