E-governance diffusion: COVID-19 as a critical juncture for developmental path dependency; the case of Mexico

Abstract: This thesis aims to contribute to e-governance studies by combining a framework of critical juncture studies and path dependency theory to evaluate the performance of the e-governance sector in Mexico in the wake of the SARS-COVID-2 crisis. Through the investigation of e-governance policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, this thesis identified key thematic principles for analysis: 1) Access to Internet, 2) Telecommunications Infrastructure, 3) Online Services and Healthcare Information, 4) Human Capacity. Analytical linkages manifested in urban/rural divides, inter-governance partnerships and these played a key part in the analysis. These 4 themes are interlinked with the e-government landscape for Mexico and the study of COVID-19 as a critical juncture presented in this thesis and present some new evidence for further studies. The framework of this thesis, an exploratory mixed methods case study of Mexico, was aided by the inclusion of sources spanning 2018-2020 to craft a more complete picture of the time frame in question and to stress how important the post-COVID-19 period might become for development, and the capacity e-governance has in assisting it. The results of the study revealed extensive path dependency, the thesis deduced that although there were sufficient grounds for a critical juncture to be present, e-governance did not expeditiously increase: as a result, Mexico exercised a mixed strategy towards e-governance where a significant leap was expected. Keywords: Digital and technological transformations, e-governance, Information and Communications Technology, Sustainable Development Goals, Telecommunications infrastructure, Online Services, COVID-19