Diffusion of e-government: A literature review and directions for future directions

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of research published on the topic of e-government diffusion. This paper provides a meta-analytic review of the literature on the diffusion of e-government. We analyzed the related literature in the leading journals and from international conferences in the field of information systems and public administration. Our analytical results reveal the main theoretical foundations, research methods, and research topics found in the relevant literature. The meta-analysis identified four main research topics: (1) the factors that influence the diffusion of e-government, (2) the diffusion of e-government systems and applications, (3) the impacts of e-government diffusion on government agencies and employees, and (4) the relationships between information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructures and the diffusion of e-government. Researchers have developed eight related theories to discuss e-government diffusion and adopted four methods to explore it. We suggest directions that researchers should pursue to strengthen the diffusion of e-government and to draw out deeper issues.