Integration and coordination: Advancing China's fragmented e-government to holistic governance

In the context of Political Science, fragmentation refers to the process of decentralization, department differentiation and division of management in governmental institutions. Increasingly fragmented features emerge in China's administrative values, public resource operation, public organizational structures and public service provision in the post-industrial age, which affect the planning and implementation of e-government and inevitably map onto virtual government, leading to a fragmented Chinese e-government. Although most of the literature include impediments or measures to China's e-government, hardly any research can be found that focuses on theoretically identifying and innovating the way to handle problems. An aim of this research is to determine that holistic governance could be considered a rational choice for the transformation from fragmentation to holistic development and an effective measure for the sound advancement of e-government.

Graphical abstractIn light of the above, this paper analyzes the basic theory of holistic governance and the fragmentation in China's e-government. The problem we wish to investigate is whether holistic governance could be considered a theoretical basis in handling Chinese fragmented e-government.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► We focus on theoretically identifying of China's fragmented e-government. ► Fragmentation in China's practical government generates fragmentation in China's virtual government. ► This theoretically identifying is based on the theory of holistic governance. ► Recommendations are offered to achieve the transformation from fragmentation to holistic development of China's e-government.