E-governance and sustainable human development in Asia: a dynamic institutional path perspective

Purpose This study demonstrates the necessary and significant role of national formal institutional frameworks in shaping the quality of e-governance in Asian countries. Moreover, it presents a robust model of e-governance as a necessary and significant driver of sustainable human development. Design/methodology/approach This study applied the cross-lagged panel method in path modelling and conducted competing model and necessary condition analyses to test the lagged, necessary and positive effects of formal institutions on the level of e-governance and sustainable human development in 45 Asian countries from 2012 to 2022. Findings Formal governance institutions have necessary direct and indirect (through e-governance development) causal effects on a country’s sustainable human development. Research limitations/implications Future studies should explore how informal institutions such as culture, industry and government norms and practices shape the extent of e-governance development and sustainable socio-economic development in Asia and beyond over time. Practical implications A renewed focus on the institutional fundamentals of governance and development should be the legislative priority of policymakers and leaders of Asian countries. Social implications Proactive digital citizen engagement in institutional building in respective countries is critical to developing sound, human-development-centred institutional governance in Asia. Originality/value The study presents robust necessary condition models that offer more nuanced explanations of the institutional imperatives of enabling Asian countries to strengthen their e-governance towards sustainable human development.