E-Governance Services Through Telecenters: The Role of Human Intermediary and Issues of Trust

Telecenter studies have shown that the centers become socially relevant only when they provide services in accordance with the needs of the local community. Earlier studies have highlighted the importance of a local intermediary in making telecenters successful. This article shows how trust between citizens and intermediaries at various levels affects the way e-governance services are delivered through telecenters. Drawing on the theoretical framework of the sociology of governance and taking an institutionalist perspective, this article highlights how the institutional membership of the intermediary is critical for effective e-governance service delivery. The article is based on an empirical study of the Akshaya telecenter project in Kerala. (c) 2007 by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.