The Impact of the Digital Divide on the Adoption of e-Government in Greece

The adoption of e-government services and the active e-participation of citizens may be affected by the pre-dominant socio-economic inequalities. The current study examined the impact of the digital divide to the use of e-government and e-participation services. We used the micro-data from the national survey on the use of Information and Communication Technologies by the Greek households and individuals. This survey was conducted by the Greek Statistical Authority in 2017, in a representative sample of the Greek population (n = 3321). We analyzed the data using logistic regression equations. According to the results, the social exclusion factors may influence the use of e-government services. The most important socio-economic factors affecting the decision to use e-government services are the educational level, age and citizenship. The e-participation of the citizens in various democratic processes is only influenced by their educational attainment. This work highlights the impact of the digital divide to every aspect of our digital life. The state should implement policies to address the digital divide focusing on the vulnerable social subgroups, such as the low-educated and older people. The findings of our research may help the policymakers to conceptualize the effect of the digital divide to e-government adoption, in a multidimensional and integrative way. Keywords: e-government, Greece, digital divide, e-services, digital skill

Technological Issues: The Citizen Initiated Performance Assessment (CIPA) Initiative through Wireless Technology

Many governments, including my own that serves a population of about 200,000 Central Iowans, have been reluctant to invest in technologies supporting e-government services. The operating assumption for this reluctance is that the digital divide delivers the benefits of e-government to the wealthiest and often most educated citizens, effectively diverting resources to constituencies traditionally less reliant on government services than the poor who are often left on the down side of the digital divide . While digital divide considerations are and should continue to be a focal point in deciding allocation of scarce financial resources supporting technological improvements, reallocation of resources to bridge the digital divide should be a countervailing consideration in debates about the impact of e-government. Without doubt, this use of technologies to communicate citizen requests for service is more direct and arguably more effective than the process available to more affluent residents, effectively using technologies to turn the digital divide to the advantage of those less likely to have ready access to their own technologies

Qualitative investigation of digital divide in Indonesia : toward a comprehensive framework

The issue of digital divide has attracted many researchers for over a decade, yet the understanding of digital divide is not comprehensive. This research examines three commonly recognised orders of the digital divide, which are: economic divide, the inequality of access to ICT associated with economic conditions; access divide, the disparity of access to ICT; and capability divide, the inequality of ability in using ICT, while conceptualising a fourth divide, innovativeness divide, which is defined as the disparity of individual&rsquo;s willingness to try out any new information technology. The paper presents a tentative model based on extensive literature review which was explored using qualitative method. The findings generate new insights into the relationships among those four orders of digital divide which contribute to the theoretical framework to understand the digital divide more comprehensively and provide evidence on the impact of digital divide on e-government use. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed in this paper.<br /

Qualitative Investigation of Digital Divide: Toward a Comprehensive Framework

The issue of digital divide has attracted many researchers for over a decade, yet the understanding of digital divide is not comprehensive. This research examines three commonly recognised orders of the digital divide, which are: economic divide, the inequality of access to ICT associated with economic conditions; access divide, the disparity of access to ICT; and capability divide, the inequality of ability in using ICT, while conceptualising a fourth divide, innovativeness divide, which is defined as the disparity of individual’s willingness to try out any new information technology. The paper presents a tentative model based on extensive literature review which was explored using qualitative method. The findings generate new insights into the relationships among those four orders of digital divide which contribute to the theoretical framework to understand the digital divide more comprehensively and provide evidence on the impact of digital divide on e-government use. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed in this paper

An Adaptation of the Balanced Scorecard for E-Government Service Delivery: A Content Analysis

E-government service delivery performance has been discussed in literature as a way governments use information technologies (IT) to deliver valuable services to their citizens at a lower cost. This paper examines the effectiveness of website-supported Balanced Scorecard’s four dimensions (innovation and learning, internal process, veteran value proposition, and financial) in improving e-government service delivery performance. The study used content analysis to analyze the data obtained from a sample of 19 county veteran service officers (CVSOs) to test the hypotheses. CVSOs use websites to serve veterans on a Government-to-Citizen (G2C) basis. The results show that the different aspects of the relations between CVSOs and veterans fit with the four interrelated balanced scorecard factors. The results also show that three of the four website-supported Balanced Scorecard dimensions (learning and innovation, internal process, and veteran value proposition) have a positive impact on e-government service delivery performance. However, the impact of the fourth website-supported Balanced Scorecard perspective (financial) on e-government service delivery performance is different because of the digital divide among the various generations of veterans

Facing the Challenges of e-Government in Indonesia: Demographic Inequalities

Abstract:  E-government readiness in Indonesia showed no improvement from year to year, indicating that the implementation of e-government is encountering serious problems. Despite the lack of empirical evidence, it is stated that one of them is digital inequalities or also known by the term of the digital divide. This research paper aims to investigate the impact of demographic disparities, represented by gender, age, and place of residence, on e-government use in Indonesia. In doing so, a structural equation model was proposed based on literature review and examined through survey research. Data were collected from a survey of 237 e-government users in Indonesia. The study took place in Sleman and Tulungagung regencies. The PLS (Partial Least Square) method was applied by using SmartPLS to estimate the research model. Smith-Satterwait test was employed to examine the moderating effect. The results show that digital inequalities, particularly age and place of residence, are significant problems in Indonesia, which should be resolved to improve the usage of e-government. The research is vital for scholars to give empirical evidence of digital inequalities and its impact on e-government use, especially in Indonesia. For the local governments, this research may contribute to policy-making in improving the e-government readiness.Abstrak: Kesiapan e-government di Indonesia tidak menunjukkan peningkatan dari tahun ke tahun, menunjukkan bahwa implementasi e-government menghadapi masalah serius. Meskipun kurangnya bukti empiris, itu menunjukkan bahwa salah satunya adalah ketidaksetaraan digital atau juga dikenal dengan istilah kesenjangan digital. Makalah penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki dampak ketidaksetaraan demografis, diwakili oleh jenis kelamin, usia dan tempat tinggal, pada penggunaan e-government di Indonesia. Dengan demikian, model persamaan struktural diusulkan berdasarkan tinjauan pustaka dan diperiksa melalui penelitian survei. Data dikumpulkan dari survei terhadap 237 pengguna e-government di Indonesia. Penelitian berlangsung di kabupaten Sleman dan Tulungagung. Metode PLS (Partial Least Square) diterapkan dengan menggunakan SmartPLS untuk memperkirakan model penelitian. Tes Smith-Satterwait digunakan untuk menguji efek moderasi. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa kesenjangan digital, khususnya usia dan tempat tinggal, adalah masalah yang signifikan di Indonesia, yang harus diselesaikan untuk meningkatkan penggunaan e-government. Penelitian ini penting bagi para sarjana untuk memberikan bukti empiris ketidaksetaraan digital dan dampaknya pada penggunaan e-government, khususnya di Indonesia. Untuk pemerintah daerah, penelitian ini dapat berkontribusi pada pembuatan kebijakan dalam meningkatkan kesiapan e-government

An Adaptation Of The Balanced Scorecard For E-Government Service Delivery: A Content Analysis

E-government services refer to the emerging area of IS and IT services that are delivered electronically. The way that government agencies design and deliver services and configure and deploy underlying information and communications technologies, is central to the performance of e-government service delivery. This paper examines the effectiveness of website-supported Balanced Scorecards four dimensions (innovation and learning, internal process, veteran value proposition, and financial) in improving e-government service delivery performance. The study used content analysis to analyze the data obtained from a sample of 19 county veteran service officers (CVSOs) to test the hypotheses. CVSOs use websites to serve veterans on a Government-to-Citizen (G2C) basis. The results show that the different aspects of the relations between CVSOs and veterans fit with the four interrelated balanced scorecard factors. The results also show that three of the four website-supported Balanced Scorecard dimensions (learning and innovation, internal process, and veteran value proposition) have a positive impact on e-government service delivery performance. However, the impact of the fourth website-supported Balanced Scorecard perspective (financial) on e-government service delivery performance is different because of the digital divide among the various generations of veterans

Realising Sustainable Development Goal 4 in Nigeria: The Challenge of Digital Divide

The immerse adoption of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in any country will play a pivotal role in suppressing the spread of the digital divide and ensuring sustainable development. This is the reason most developed countries are advanced in the implementation of ICT. This paper is developed from the researcher's interest in the effect or impact the digital divide has had on attaining sustainable development in Nigeria, specifically the actualisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) SDG4, which centers on the quality of education in Nigeria. An evaluation of Nigeria's educational sector reveals that the country's educational system is in substantial jeopardy of being outshined despite its role as a significant and active driver of economic recuperation in the short term and sustainable development and transformation in the longer term. This paper adopts an empirical review of how the digital divide can be mitigated and sustainable development, especially (SDGs) 4 in the country. The researcher, therefore, opines, among others, that the government should establish an empowering and developing program that will involve the citizens, especially those at the grassroots. Thereby educating them on e-literacy skills and the knowledge required to use, maintain, and improve as ICT advances

Bridging Digital Divide and Rural e-Goverment (Smart Kampung): Evidence from Banyuwangi, Indonesia

Currently humans can not be separated from using of technology. The more complex the problem, the need for technology continues to be sought. Unfortunately, even though technology is needed, digital divide still occurs. Digital divide occurs at all levels including at the local level. Villages in Indonesia require the penetration of information and communication technology in an effort to improve the quality of life. This study aims to explain the relationship and dynamics that occur with the presence of ICT at the government level with rural communities in Banyuwangi district. Furthermore, this study seeks to illustrate the impact on the development of ICT at the village level. The results showed that internet penetration was still a deterministic technology rather than a deterministic socioculture. The internet and rural e-government as its derivatives are like goals, not tools to achieve goals. The digital divide still seems clear. This is due to five main dimensions, namely the technical dimension, economic inequality, skills inequality, inequality of use, and inequality of social support. The impact then occurs technology alienation. For the village, digital inequality is not merely a matter of these five dimensions, but also means social, economic, political and cultural inequality. Technology plays an important role in providing intelligent and friendly public services to the community. There is a power relationship in the digitalization of technology in the field of public services in the form of domination of power over the community. Technology is a must to be accepted and applied by society

Exploring Digital Inequalities in Russia: an interregional comparative analysis

Purpose – This paper contributes to the literature by proposing an analysis of digital inequalities in Russia that focuses on two aspects hitherto under explored: the interregionality (by comparing and contrasting eight federal districts) and the multidimensionality of digital inequalities (by taking into account the three levels of digital divide). Therefore, the aim is to address the phenomenon of digital divide in Russia by discussing the three levels of the digital divide (access / skills / benefits) in a comparative and interregional perspective. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses secondary data for its analysis, including both national (e.g. the total number of daily Internet users in Russia) and more regionalized data (related to particular federal districts of Russia). The choice of data sources was determined by an attempt to provide a detailed and multifaceted coverage of all three levels of the digital divide in Russia, which is not limited to the access problem only. For this purpose, we are using and re-elaborating various reports about the development of the Internet and ICTs in Russia prepared by national and international organizations to cover the first level of the digital divide. To shed light upon the second and third levels of the digital divide, we discuss digital literacy report (2018), the report on Internet openness index of Russian regions (2017) and the report on the digital life index of the Russian regions (2016). Finally, in the attempt to map out the key directions of the state policy aimed at decreasing digital inequality in Russia, on both federal and regional levels, we analyze the most important regional and national policy measures to foster digitalization such as the digital Russia program, the digital government program and the program of eliminating digital inequality in Russia. Findings – We consider this study to be both a first exploration and a baseline of the three level digital divides in Russia. The paper shows how the level of socioeconomic development of the federal districts, as well as a number of objective factors (distance/isolation, urbanization level, availability of infrastructure and costs for building new infrastructure, etc.) have impact upon digitalization of the regions. As a result, several federal districts of Russia (Central, Northwestern, and, in a number of cases, Ural and Volga federal districts) more often than others take leading positions in rankings, in terms of degree of Internet penetration, audience numbers, use of e-services, etc. This correlation, however, is not universal as we will show, and some regions lacking behind in terms of access can be booming in terms of digital literacy or other factors, like it happened with the Far Eastern Federal district for example. All in all, our research showed that digital inequality in Russia is still on place and will require more time for complete elimination, even though current state and public initiatives are being actively developed. Originality/value – This paper will bring to light meaningful insights into the three levels of digital divides in Russia. Based on a multilevel (three levels of digital divide) and multi-sectional approach (the interplay of different types of inequalities), this paper contributed to overall better understanding of the digital inequalities phenomenon in Russia. It also allowed for a comparative interregional perspective, which has been missing in most papers on digital inequalities in Russia so far