The Reduction of Corruption

e-governance. This will require increased coordination between the federal/national and local governments. The coordination between the federal and local levels of government requires cooperation and the development of partnerships. The introduction of e-technology in local governments in developing countries may pose serious challenges because of the lack of the education and skills necessary to implement e-governance. This will require the cooperation of the national government to implement e-technology and train people to provide those necessary skills. However, Leung (2004) emphasizes an understanding of the regional culture in implementing e-technology. He insists that using Information and Telecommunication Technology (ITT) is essential to reach bureaucratic reform and government reinvention.

tHe reductIon of corruptIon E-governance is advocated to reduce corruption because of the openness and transparency. E-governance, through reducing the level of personal contact, can decrease the chances of corruption. E-government can also help to reduce the level of human involvement in government operations (Popescu 2015a, b, c). Further, e-governance, through eliminating red tape, can bring another opportunity to eliminate the bribes and other types of corruption. For example, the Seoul municipal government in South Kora has introduced a system called OPEN (Online Procedures Enhancement for Civil Application). E-government has a “consistently positive impact on reducing corruption, as do the traditional anticorruption factors.” (Ionescu 2013, p. 210). Shim and Eom (2008) believed that the information technology could reduce administrative corruption in several different ways. They proposed improvements in relationships between state personnel and citizens, ensuring the accountability of government officials by reducing potential corruption. Ionescu (2016) explained the role of ICT in controlling corruption in developing countries. Similarly, Lazaroiu (2014) found a negative relationship between the degree of openness and corruption. Giving people access to the Internet can make the data available and also reduce corruption. Gaskins (2013) has observed that having the economy perceived as corrupt can have a negative impact on FDI and can also lead to a reduction in levels of investment. The promotion of e-governance can diminish levels of corruption and reduce the level of corrupt activities by controlling employee conduct (Popescu 2015a, b, and c).