Postal Operators as Viable e-Government Partners: A Case Study of Three Major Postal Operators

The digital economy has transformed several industries, resulting in higher productivity, greater consumer choice and lower prices.Digital platforms of communication are producing massive competition in the postal sector. Traditional mail volume is down, while delivery points are up. The digital world provides opportunities to various public, as well as private, organizations to broaden their services and product range. Most postal operators worldwide have responded positively to this opportunity, and adopted postal e-services to improve the quality of existing services and introduce new value-added services. e-Government, which involves use of information and communication technology to facilitate the development of small and efficient government structures, has found a natural implementation partner in postal services, which have a vast and extensive network of outlets and a broad outreach in the country. This study explores the extent of the various roles played by different postal operators in implementing e-government services. Case studies based on Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telegrafos, Post Italiane and Saudi Post are taken up to analyze their role as e-government service-provider partners. The study will help to outline the potential role of postal operators in helping governments implement digital services.