e-Government : Assessment of GCC (Gulf Co-operating Council) Countries and Services Provided

Abstract

Just like other parts of the world, governments of Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries are also in cut – throat competition with each other to attract inward investment, make their products and services competitive on a global scale and create an in-country atmosphere that will attract the brightest minds. The current research assesses major government websites of GCC countries. The criteria for ranking included, online information, foreign language access, communication, services provided, and use of advertisements on government websites. The study reveals that all GCC countries have made some strides towards placing information and services online, however there is considerable variation across GCC countries in how much material is on these government websites. Further, among the GCC countries, UAE Government websites were ranked as highest in all the criteria researched. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was rated as the lowest.