ICT governance: Frameworks for managing Australian e-Government

As governments operate in more dynamic and resource constrained environments the requirement for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) governance frameworks are assuming greater importance as tools for managing information system and technology projects. This exploratory paper looks at how governance frameworks for the electronic domain are influenced and shaped by the underlying legislation that gives rise to the government body, the practice of "good government," and the allocation of public sector budgetary resources. This paper also analyses and describes what two public sector agencies in Australia are doing in terms of their ICT governance arrangements to ensure the success of their business and reduce the risk of ICT project failure. The two public agencies were selected from a wider study for their exemplary Information Technology (IT) and Information and Technology governance frameworks and processes that have been used to guide and direct ICT activities, including e-government and government e-business initiatives. Other organisations in the wider study displayed limited governance practices, with some notably problematic human resource and financial management information system implementations that hampered government e-business progress.