How do older adults communicate with the UK public sector? : Comparing online communication channels

Copyright and all rights therein are retained by the authors. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and conditions invoked by each author's copyright. These works may not be re-posted without the explicit permission of the copyright holdersGovernments around the world are moving away from conventional ways of face to face communication to a more digital approach when delivering services to their citizens. This includes using the internet as both a communication tool and an information source to improve efficiency in their services. However, not all the citizens are making use of these changes, especially the older adults. Therefore, this research-in-progress paper aims to investigate and identify the factors that encourage older adults to continue using a particular communication channel when interacting with the government. In addition, future directions, limitations and conclusions are also provided within this paper. The implication of this study to academia is viewed to be the development of an extended framework that allows an understanding of continuance intention of online communication tools usage. Equally, this framework will benefit industry by informing providers of communication channels to the government to be aware of the factors that influence older adults’ choices when interacting with the government. For policymakers this research will identify the communication channels that promote interaction with citizensFinal Published versio

The antecedent of citizen intention use of e-government service

The purpose of this study was to integrate citizen perceived value into an expectation- confirmation model (ECM) and to explain citizen intention use of e-government services. After reviewing both ECM and citizen perceived values, integrated models were designed. This study was compared to the basic ECM; this study revealed that the integration of ECM with citizen perceived value can provide a concerted solution to illustrate some factors and how it can influence citizen intention use for e-government services

Factors affecting continued usage intention of electronic government among public servants in Iraq

Electronic government (eG) system has become an important component of Information and Communication Technology provided by governments to facilitate all the transactions. This system has gained the popularity in developed and developing countries alike. Due to the inconsistency of the findings regarding the antecedents and consequences of usage behaviour of eG services, this study attempted to further explain this phenomenon in an unstable environment. Specifically, this study attempted to investigate the mediating role of Usage Behaviour on the relationships between the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use Technology (UTAUT) antecedents and Continued Usage Intention. Additionally, this study attempted to investigate the moderating effect of Perceived Intensity of Civil Conflict (PICC) on the relationship between Usage Behaviour and Continued Usage Intention. In the relevant past literature, many theories have emphasized the necessity to establish the fit between various factors and Usage issues as the key success factor. However, this study integrated many theories such as the Expectation-Confirmation Theory, Conflict Theory, and UTAUT to examine the effect of various factors on Usage Behaviour and Continued Usage Intention of eG. To examine the hypothesized model, the data for this study were collected from the employees in the public universities. Out of 700 questionnaires distributed, 436 usable questionnaires were returned. This study employed the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to confirm the validity and reliability of the measurement model and to examine the structural relationships. The findings of the study confirmed the positive influence of Effort Expectancy, Performance Expectancy and Facilitating Conditions on the Usage Behaviour. In addition, the results supported the strong positive influence of usage behaviour on continued usage intention. While the moderating effect of PICC was not supported, usage behaviour was found to have a significant power to explain the effect of UTAUT variables on continued usage intention

Identifying the Determents of Government E-Service Quality In the UAE

Globally, government entities are facilitating ever more over-the-internet transactional services. In the Middle Eastern context, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is at the forefront. Although the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the UAE has adopted appropriate e-service quality (ESQ) assessment tools in-house, these tools are designed only for back-end developers, not for gauging end-user satisfaction levels. In light of this, we developed a conceptual framework for the holistic measuring of such citizen opinions. The study incorporated a survey instrument on a sample population (n = 2,197) for investigating the ESQ of the UAE Ministry of Interior transactional e-services. Key findings indicate that most ESQ content factors (excepting reliability) and all ESQ delivery factors, along with Trust in government positively impacted the ESQ user perceptions measured in terms of reuse intentions and overall satisfaction levels. However, familiarity with information and communication technology (ICT familiarity) was found to be insignificant. Responsiveness has the largest impact on ESQ perceptions. Interestingly, no differences between the genders were observed, but age, education and nationality all led to statistically significant differences. This research study adds an in-depth case to the relevant literature on public sector e-service provision in the Middle East and also to the one that considers ESQ assessment. The dissertation furnishes some suggestions about the wider and more systematic deployment of the analytical framework in future studies

Modelling the determinants of electronic tax filing services’ continuance usage intention

The success of electronic filing services largely depends on their continuance usage. This study examines the factors affecting the continuance usage intention of the online tax filing services in Mauritius. An integrated model comprising Trust Theory and Information System Success Model (ISSM) is applied to assess the continuance usage behaviour of e-filing systems. The model has been extended by adding two additional variables: Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Risk. The model was tested using a sample of 315 users of e-filing services in Mauritius. A structural equation modelling technique using partial least square structural equation modelling verified the hypotheses. The results reveal that the continuance usage intention of an electronic tax filing system is influenced by Perceived Usefulness, User Satisfaction, and Service Quality. However, Perceived Risk does not influence the continuance usage intention of e-filing systems since the importance of Perceived Risk diminishes as trust in the e-service provider increases. The theoretical and practical implications derived fromthe findings of this study are also discussed. This paper makes several contributions to the literature on electronic tax filing systems

Modelling continuance intention of citizens in government Facebook page: A complementary PLS approach

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the continuance intention (CI) of citizens in following government Facebook page. Applying theories of expectation-confirmation, and information system success on a sample of 362 students in Malaysia, and using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the study finds that CI and satisfaction of government Facebook page is contingent upon information quality (IQ) of the Facebook page per se. IQ is found as a second order construct of five first order factors: reliability, completeness, relevancy, timeliness, and understandability. Satisfaction of government Facebook page is also found as a partial mediator to the relationship between IQ and CI of following government Facebook page. In addition, applying PLS multi-group analysis, the results show that different government Facebook pages moderate the relationships between IQ and satisfaction of government Facebook page, IQ and CI of following government Facebook page as well as satisfaction of government Facebook page and CI of following government Facebook page

USING PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES TO UNDERSTAND CITIZEN ATTITUDES TOWARD GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

There have been various approaches to studying the effectiveness of government performance in public administration. While some have focused on broad organizational factors, others have taken an individual level approach by applying concepts and methods from psychology and behavioral economics. This three-essay dissertation continues this latter approach by examining the role of cognitive mechanisms in explaining citizen attitudes toward government performance as well as collaborative behaviors in the public sector. The first essay explored the role of detailed versus abstract mental construals in understanding the relationship between expectations of public service performance and attitudes toward a government. Type of thinking, when it fit well with the information about either how or why public services were provided, was predicted to produce more positive attitudes toward government than in the absence of fit. However, these predictions were not confirmed. The second essay induced either an abstract or a detailed mode thinking in participants. Because abstract thinkers are more likely to focus on the desirability of outcomes, and detailed thinkers are more likely to focus on the feasibility of outcomes, it was predicted that abstract thinking, compared to detailed thinking, would create higher expectations of public services and lower perceived government performance. The findings were inconclusive. The final essay, combining prospect theory and expectancy-disconfirmation concepts, proposed a new model testing the relationship between citizen attitudes and collaborative behavior. Using a cross-sectional data set of US citizens, the results revealed a predicted non-linear relationship between citizen satisfaction with government performance and co-production

A framework for e-government success from the user’s perspective

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyThis thesis aims to contribute to a better understanding of e-government portal success by developing a e-government success framework from a user’s perspective. The proposed framework is underpinned by relevant theories, such as DeLone and McLean’s IS success model, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), self-efficacy theory and trust. The culture aspect has also been taken into consideration by adopting personal values theory introduced by Schwartz (1992). Three data collection methods were used. First, an exploratory study was carried to explore the main aspects and factors for understanding e-government systems success. Second, a Delphi study was conducted to investigate which of the ten value types are particularly relevant to success or have a significant impact. Third, a survey-based study was carried out to validate empirically the proposed theoretical framework. Results of the exploratory study helped to identify the potential success factors of e-government systems. The results of the Delphi study suggest that four of the ten values, namely self-direction, stimulation, security, and tradition, most likely affect e-government portal success. Structural equation modelling techniques were applied to test the research model using a large-scale survey. The findings of hypothesis testing suggested that e-government portal success (i.e. net benefit) was directly affected by actual use and user satisfaction and indirectly affect by a number of factors concerning system quality, service quality, information quality, perceived risk, and computer self-efficacy. By combining IS success model and TAM, this study found system quality, information quality and service quality affected the perceived ease of us, but service quality had no effect on perceived usefulness. However, perceived risk seemed to have no effect on attitudes towards using, but very small negative effect on perceived usefulness. Users’ computer skills was found to have no effect on perceived ease of use and very small effect on perceived usefulness. These indicate that risk and IT skills are playing less significant role in the context of e-government. The research findings confirmed that adoption was not equivalent to success, but it was the necessary precondition to success. In the personal values-attitude-behaviour model, the empirical evidence suggested that Conservation affects attitude towards use which, in turn, affects behavioural intention to re-use. Openness to change had no effect on attitude toward using. The findings provide important implications for e-government research and practice

COBRA framework to evaluate e-government services: A citizen-centric perspective

E-government services involve many stakeholders who have different objectives that can have an impact on success. Among these stakeholders, citizens are the primary stakeholders of government activities. Accordingly, their satisfaction plays an important role in e-government success. Although several models have been proposed to assess the success of e-government services through measuring users' satisfaction levels, they fail to provide a comprehensive evaluation model. This study provides an insight and critical analysis of the extant literature to identify the most critical factors and their manifested variables for user satisfaction in the provision of e-government services. The various manifested variables are then grouped into a new quantitative analysis framework consisting of four main constructs: cost; benefit; risk and opportunity (COBRA) by analogy to the well-known SWOT qualitative analysis framework. The COBRA measurement scale is developed, tested, refined and validated on a sample group of e-government service users in Turkey. A structured equation model is used to establish relationships among the identified constructs, associated variables and users' satisfaction. The results confirm that COBRA framework is a useful approach for evaluating the success of e-government services from citizens' perspective and it can be generalised to other perspectives and measurement contexts. Crown Copyright © 2014.PIAP-GA-2008-230658) from the European Union Framework Program and another grant (NPRP 09-1023-5-158) from the Qatar National Research Fund (amember of Qatar Foundation

E-government systems success and user acceptance in developing countries: The role of perceived support quality

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Electronic government (e-Government) projects create numerous benefits and opportunities for both governments and citizens worldwide. Accordingly, the increasing interest in e-Government raises the issue of how governments can increase citizen adoption and usage of their on-line services. The successful adoption of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), the explosive increase in Internet usage and the rapid development of e-commerce in private sectors have placed pressure on public organisations to interact electronically with citizens. Conversely, the success of e-Government does not depend only on the supplier side, but also on the demand side and the willingness to adopt the on-line service. The concept of e-Government was developed and implemented initially in industrialised countries. Consequently, it should not be assumed that this concept is automatically appropriate for developing countries. Thus far, e-Government still faces major challenges as it continues to expand in developing countries. Moreover, when introducing e-Government to developing nations, it is anticipated that more effort will be necessary than in developed countries. The objective of various e-Government initiatives has moved in the past decade towards establishing services offering greater accessibility for citizens. As a result, it is necessary to examine all possible factors to explain citizens' adoption and usage of such systems. Hence, numerous models of e-Government adoption and intention to use and their extensions have been proposed and applied to empirical studies. Obviously, e-Government has occurred due to the technological revolution following the diffusion of the Internet and the success of information systems (IS) in organisations and e-Commerce. However, regardless of their success within the general IS context, the models are limited in terms of considering the diversity of users; they tend to assume that all end-users are homogeneous. The end-users of e-Government systems are more diverse than e-Commerce, with comparisons of wider layers of user groups (for example, elderly and less well-educated people) who are more likely to encounter problems while interacting with e-Government systems. IS literature confirmed that users’ technical capabilities and management support are influenced by their technical knowledge and expertise. Therefore, this research argues that perceived support quality is a new way of looking at citizens’ adoption and usage in the e-Government system’s field and a major factor of e-Government system’s acceptance, particularly in developing countries. This study is the first to examine the roles of perceived support quality and support satisfaction in the context of government-to-citizen (G2C), and it aims to advance knowledge within the field of e-Government by revealing the roles of perceived support quality and satisfaction towards behaviour intention and usage in developing countries. The proposed model builds upon Wixom and Todd’s (2005) theoretical model, which, in turn, was based on the integration of DeLone and McLean model (1992) into the technology acceptance model (TAM). The strength of the integrated model lies in its ability to guide both IT design and predict usage behaviours towards the system under investigation, and assume the overall theoretical model to maintain validity in G2C settings. Thirteen hypotheses were formulated to test the proposed research model. Behaviour intention to use e-Government services was proposed as the dependent variable, while the independent variables were information quality; information satisfaction; system quality; system satisfaction; social influence; performance expectancy; effort expectancy; perceived support quality and support satisfaction. A quantitative approach was deemed best suited to test the proposed model. Using a survey method (i.e. paper-based and an on-line survey), a total of 1252 responses was collected; however, only 628 were analysed. To test the proposed e-Government model, the state of Kuwait was chosen as the application area and the official website of Kuwait Government On-line Services (KGOS) was selected, since it offers a number of services on-line. Elements were citizens who have had prior experience with the KGOS website, and the survey was conducted from 5th August to 10th October 2010. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was selected as the statistical analysis technique with the Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) software. A total of 40 percent of the variance among the factors of support satisfaction, system satisfaction, information quality, effort expectancy and performance expectancy was explained by behavioural intention to use an e-Government system. All hypotheses were supported except for one. The findings confirm the significance to the support quality perceived by citizens, and also provide insights into whether user satisfaction literature and TAMs should be integrated to explain citizens’ intention to use e-Government systems. Thus, in terms of the theoretical implications, this study highlights the significance of recognising theoretical relationships when performing empirical research in e-Government settings. Consequently, to capture both the technical aspects and the services provided on-line, a new variable was introduced and renamed ‘perceived support quality’. Additionally, the model offers managers a new perspective for dealing with e-Government adoption by signifying the importance of support quality perceived by citizens. The proposed model provides government decision-makers in developing countries with an appropriate approach to determining which factors require attention in order to reap the highest benefits from e-Governments’ projects. This suggests paying less attention to the social influence (SI) factor and consider instead improving the quality of on-line support citizens demand