ICT and Public Service Value Creation in Africa: Efficiency Assessment Using DEA approach

Abstract: Recently, researchers and international bodies have recognised the potential of ICT in public service value creation. Many countries have implemented ICT to transform public services and create public value. Citizens are increasingly demanding public value from the governments, the notion similar to return on investment from private sectors. However, little research has been conducted on ICT and public value creation. Using Data Envelopment Analysis and Cluster Analysis, data for 53 African countries were analysed. The findings indicate that for a period from 2005 to 2014, ICT has efficiently transformed public values in Africa by 5, 18, and 40 percent in countries of clusters one, two and three respectively. More compelling, the findings indicate that efficiency of ICT in transforming public values for more than three quarters of African countries was below fifty percent. The current study has theoretical, methodological and policy implications.