Linking Operational Transparency and Trust in Government: The Mediating Roles of Information Quality and Perceived Effort

Abstract

Purpose: This research empirically investigates the relationship between operational transparency and citizens' trust in their government through two mediation mechanisms, namely information quality and perceived effort.Study design/methodology/approach: Hypotheses were tested using regression-based mediation analysis, utilizing a series of OLS regression models. Moderated mediation was performed as an additional robustness check.Sample and data: Data were collected from 715 individuals who used a Kuwaiti government website or app within the six months prior to completing an online survey in early 2021.Results: Operational transparency was found to have both "direct" and "indirect" effects on trust. The indirect effects are notably channeled through the proposed mediating mechanisms, highlighting the roles of information quality and perceived effort as key mediators in the relationship between operational transparency and trust in government.Originality/value: The study extends existing research by specifically examining the mediation roles of information quality and perceived effort in the operational transparency-trust dynamic within e-government services. It also develops and validates a survey-based measure for perceived operational transparency, which can be used by researchers and practitioners aiming to gauge individual perceptions of operational transparency in service contexts.Research limitations/implications: Strengthening operational transparency can boost citizen trust in government services. Yet, the study’s findings are constrained by its cross-sectional design, highlighting the need for future research with different methods and longer-term analyses.