Does Quality matter

Abstract

This study aims to assess the Information Quality (IQ) indicators of E-Government websites as perceived by the citizens. It also collected and reviewed studies (in English language) on information quality of E-Government websites in a systematic way. It is a systematic review that followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA-P) guidelines. An inclusive logical search was carried out in April 2017 among different scholarly databases. The search strategy was narrowed down in TITLE-ABSTR-KEY fields. Kindari's (2011) information quality framework was used to review IQ indicators of E-Government websites. Information quality is a resource that serves as a tool to satisfy the users' needs. Findings of the study reveal that the IQ of E-Government websites are overall good as perceived by the citizens and citizens also consider it important. Information quality has influence on the usefulness of E-Government websites. Reliability, security and privacy dimensions have a major effect on the perceived usefulness of E-Government websites. Accuracy, completeness, ease of use, reliability, security and relevance are the most significant IQ indicators of E-Government websites and citizens are satisfied with them. Fifty IQ indicators were identified and discussed in reviewed studies and among them twenty IQ indicators were found in IQ framework. However there is diversity in the citizens' perception about IQ of E-Gov. websites in terms of significant and insignificant IQ indicators. This systematic review was limited to information quality dimension of e-government websites as well as this review consisted on studies published in English language. It may be possible that some good studies have missed due to publishing in language other than English. Researchers used the term information quality for the systematic review of articles. But other terms may also be used for Information quality i.e. data quality, service quality, citizen-centered e-government services, website quality, Information system quality, financial statement quality etc. So the articles that used these terms interchangeably with information quality may have been missed in systematic review. The findings will be helpful for E-Government website developers and managers to design and deliver more citizen centered services through E-Government websites with reliable, accurate, and up-to-date information. The findings of the study provide implications for E-Government websites' researchers that there should be a standard framework/model to assess information quality of E-Government websites.