Digitally Empowering Public Higher Education in Pakistan: The Role of E-Governance

Abstract

This study e-governance was conceptualized as institutional innovation within higher education, and therefore, a better understanding of how managerial capacity and infrastructural contexts influence the e-governance adoption process generally, and the specific context of Pakistan, is paramount. A qualitative multiple-case study of three public universities in Lahore was completed through semi-structured interviews with faculty, administrators, and IT staff (each participant from a specific institutional role), in combination with institutional policy documents and triangulation. Theoretical of institutional theory and the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework were employed in this study. Thematic analysis revealed persistent constraints such as limited access to digital infrastructure, lack of digital training and skills, and misalignment of policy that constrain governance reform. However, institutions with more robust managerial policies claim to leverage e-governance to improve transparency, coordination, and to assist in decision making through increased access. These findings contribute to international management literature by applying and extending institutional theory to digital governance in resource-constrained environments, showing that organizational readiness and the policy framework can be determinants of innovation. For education leaders, this study provides practical guidance to improve governance in higher education and offers useful insights for policymakers and managers in developing countries adopting digital systems.