Participation In E-government Research Articles

What Will Be the Future of Zeropay, A Strategic Fintech Policy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Objective: This study investigates the various perspectives on the perceived failure of government-led financial policy, particularly ZeroPay. We aim to propose strategies to lead ZeroPay to a successful market position by understanding the reasons behind this perception. Theoretical Framework: This paper is based on the theory of citizen participation in e-government and discusses the ZeroPay policy and citizen participation. Method: By comparing and analyzing the issues at the start of the policy and those that arose over the past five years, problems are identified, and solutions are derived. This paper finds out why ZeroPay has produced such results and why people think it is a failure, and discusses how to lead ZeroPay in the market successfully. Results and Discussion: The biggest problems with ZeroPay are the inconvenience of payment methods, lack of credit card benefits, and lack of participation by small business owners and citizens. For the service to be successful, it is necessary to attract sustainable interest and participation from citizens and small business owners and cooperate with financial institutions and companies. Research Implications: The government-led payment service has been unable to overcome the limitations raised when it was launched. Participating required much work for citizens and small business owners. For the service's success, the active participation of citizens, small business owners, and the private sector is necessary. Originality/Value: This paper discusses the importance of citizen participation in SGM cases. We discuss whether cooperation with the private sector and active participation of citizens, rather than government-led, are essential for success.

E-Government in Nigeria: Can Generative AI Serve as a Tool for Civic Engagement?

This paper examines the potential for using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to boost civic participation in Nigeria’s developing e-government ecosystem. Emerging generative technologies like ChatGPT demonstrate intriguing capabilities to make governance more interactive and engaging through conversational interfaces. Thoughtfully implemented AI tools could increase access and understanding of e-government, particularly for underserved groups. However, risks around bias, privacy, security and capability limitations pose challenges for public sector applications. Additionally, Nigeria’s substantial digital divides and defective trust in government institutions hamper e-government participation currently. This paper analyses opportunities and limitations for applying generative AI to advance civic engagement given Nigeria’s unique socio-cultural context. Findings suggest that while AI holds promise, targeted strategies focused on inclusion, accessibility, education and institutional legitimacy building are critical to realise benefits. Cautious optimism, human-centric design and responsible governance frameworks are needed to employ generative systems successfully. If challenges are addressed, AI could open innovative possibilities for energising civic participation. But further research and controlled pilot applications are required to determine optimal implementation.

Small businesses and e-government participation: the role of personalisation preference and intermediaries

Purpose Advances in technology have given rise to an increased demand by small businesses for personalised e-government services. Given the importance of small businesses to the Australian economy, it is vital to deliver small business-centric services that offer potential to generate value. To do that effectively, government departments need to understand factors that affect small business. The purpose of this study is to explore how preferences for personalised services and the use of intermediaries affect small business participation behaviour and, in turn, stimulate positive outcomes that are of interest to the government.Design/methodology/approach This study draws on secondary data from a survey of 800 Australian small businesses about the digital services offered by a large government department. Structural equation modelling was used to empirically test the model.Findings The findings demonstrate that whilst preference for personalisation has a positive relationship with participation behaviour, reliance on an intermediary does not. While such behaviour fosters emotional connection and perceptions of partner quality, the results of this study show no significant impact on satisfaction.Originality/value This study advances knowledge about how small businesses can gain value from personalised support services. Importantly, it focuses on participation behaviour and small business – both of which are largely absent from existing studies. The findings can assist government departments to design personalised services that are valued by small businesses.

Do Social Media, Good Governance, and Public Trust Increase Citizens’ e-Government Participation? Dual Approach of PLS-SEM and fsQCA

Citizens’ participation in e-government is imperative for the government as it implies citizens’ participation in public policy. Furthermore, how government strategies allocate resources to increase participation in e-government is essential to investigate. Nevertheless, scant literature debates how e-government can facilitate citizen participation as part of the government’s deliberative policy-making process. To fill the gap, this study uses social media, good governance, and trust to predict e-government participation and testing the hypothesis using PLS-SEM and fsQCA on 455 Indonesian participants who have experience with e-government. The results from SEM confirmed that trust in e-government is the principal predictor of achieving citizens’ participation. To achieve citizens’ trust in e-government, the government must consider perceived ease of use and usefulness as critical factors while spreading e-government-related information on social media. At the same time, transparency from the good governance aspect enhances citizens’ trust. The results of fsQCA equip theoretical and practical insights for the government to determine whether citizens have high or low levels of e-government participation. In achieving high e-government participation, trust, information quality, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness are necessary. Besides, low participation occurs when information about e-government is absent on social media and do not care about good governance. These findings will assist the government in comprehensively improving public services through social media and good governance.

Understanding Inconsistent Corruption Control through E-government Participation: Updated Evidence from a Cross-Country Investigation

Based on data from 133 countries, this paper unveils and empirically proves a nonlinear relationship between e-participation and corruption control and further examines the moderating roles of voice and accountability and ICT infrastructure. The empirical analysis suggests that (1) e-participation has a curvilinear (U-shaped) relationship with corruption control; (2) voice and accountability negatively moderate the relationship between e-participation and corruption control; (3) ICT infrastructure positively moderates the relationship between e-participation and corruption control. Our findings identify the relationships among e-participation, voice and accountability, ICT infrastructure, and corruption control, and provide implications for combating corruption in implementing e-participation initiatives for e-government.

Reaching the Unheard Voices and Hinterlands in the Digital Era: An Assessment of the re-Engineering of Newsgathering in Africa

Historically, Africa is known to be backward in adoption of technology. History has it that Africa trailed behind in the use of new technology for newsgathering. Africa is the 2 nd largest continent after Asia with over 60% of its population living widely dispersed in hinterlands whose insecure terrains, inaccessibility, and distance from cities, make it impossible for journalist and media broadcasts to cover their socio-economic, cultural and political activities. In addition to these factors, scarcity of journalists, costs and conflicts, inability of media industries to train and/or recruit enough journalists, government indifference and pro-urban communication policy made newsgathering in African hinterlands almost impossible. However, the evolution and reign of Internet-based technologies, which enable citizens to contribute to news-making, and information gathering and exchange became a solution. Nevertheless, it is confronted with pro-urban middle class relevance due to epileptic power, poor network, low level of education and technology skills, and lack of formal framework for newsgathering in the hinterlands. This paper, therefore, explores the dynamics of newsgathering in the technologically-driven internet era, with a view to identifying inherent limitations in African hinterlands, and therefrom offers profitable recommendations. Geographically, the study considers African rural communities. Thematically, the paper is an investigation into the acquisition and use new information technologies particularly phones with internet facilities to generate and circulate news from African hinterlands, factors hindering the practice and possible ways of enhancing it. Periodically, the study covers the 21st century i.e. 2000 to date, which has witnessed ICTs massive penetration of the hinterlands and their use as primary medium of communication. In exploring the digitalisation of communication in rural Africa where majority of the population lives without regular or formal connection to organs and channels of governance and events in the entire world, this paper is significant to the extent that it assess and exposes the challenges modernisation is facing in trying to provide solution to the scenario. It explores areas of investments in media and communication in rural Africa, and attempts to provide viable alternatives to the problems hindering internet-mediated-technologies approach to newsgathering in rural Africa. It provides approaches to the democratisation of newsgathering and circulation, which opens up rural Africa to the global community and for participation in e-governance, global dialogue and discussions in every aspect of human development, rights and politics. This paper adopted logical inquiry, survey of literature and expost facto methods of data gathering. Central to these methods, extensive literature review was primarily adopted as data gathering processes. This is because of the wealth of literature, debates and criticism available on the new media, newsgathering, and the African experience particularly the hinterlands. This will explicate new areas of investments in communication technologies and provide valid framework for newsgathering across Africa, which will inevitably advance globalisation into and enhance development in African hinterlands.

Public and private value in citizen participation in E-governance: Evidence from a government-sponsored green commuting platform

Citizen participation in E-governance is, essentially, a social exchange between individuals and their government through which the citizen creates public value as well as acquires private value. The direct effects of participation antecedents on participation outcomes have been fully examined, but few researchers have investigated the internal mechanism of citizen participation at the level of psychological value perception. The roles of perceived public and private value between the participation antecedents and outcomes remain unclear. Private value merits careful research in particular as the E-governance environment is being shaped by increasing privatization and continuous IT innovation. Based on the cognitive integration theory and the civic voluntarism model, this paper proposes a theoretical framework to examine the mediating roles of two values. We built a complete research model encompassing ten hypotheses centered on citizen e-participation in the context of green commuting governance. By analyzing survey data on a green commuting platform, we demonstrate the significant mediating effects of these two values and greater effect of private value acquisition on continuous e-participation intentions than public value creation. Our results have important research implications in regards to the roles of perceived values in participation, especially perceived private value.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN INDONESIA

Purpose of Study: Information and Communication Technology has a good impact on the economic progress of Indonesia. For that business supported by information and communication technology needs to get special attention because of its strategy to prosperity for the nation of Indonesia. The number of women studying technology as a means of business is still relatively low, indicating that women’s interest in technology is still minimum. On the other hand, the ability and expertise of women in using information technology should also be improved. The process of women’s empowerment is the addition of insight and information as well as the enhancement of skills and expertise in various fields, especially in the field of trade. The focus of this research is to see how the process of empowering women information access by using ICT for UMKM development as implemented in Jarpuk Ngudi Lestari Surakarta. The purpose of this research is to know the strategy of Jarpuk Ngudi Lestari Surakarta in the development of UMKM based on information and communication technology.
 Methodology: The method used is descriptive qualitative. Data collection is done by conducting interviews, observation, and completed with documentation. The validity technique used is the triangulation of data sources.
 Results: The results showed that women empowerment in Jarpuk Ngudi Lestari Surakarta not all uses ICT as a means of information access and development of UMKM. Age factor becomes an obstacle in the use of ICT.
 Implications/Applications: The strategies which are used improving access, creating environments, building educational centers, developing ICT-based programs, increasing opportunities and activating women’s participation in e-governance.

The Citizens' Intention to Participate in E-Government Public Decision: Pilot Study

This research aims to examine the intention of citizens to participate in decision making of e-government. The emphasis on citizens' participation in e-government initiatives and the e-participation is to identify the importance of citizens' participation in the e-government platform and initiatives. The progress and continuous improvements of new technologies have made it possible for electronic services to be adopted and applied in e-governments to improve the citizens' e-participation. Implementation of e-government has increased in a number of nations. In common, developing countries have been lagging behind in e-government utilisation as compared to developed countries. The citizens' participation increases the effectiveness of the e-government. Previous researchers have studied citizens' participation in e-government to examine its importance. Today's globalisation requires various countries to reform the structure of their public services for efficiency and vast improvement in their delivery of the public service. This research article is meant to discuss the outcomes from the pilot study of the research to define the positive components which have an impact on citizens' participation in the public decision making of the e-government. The pilot research outcomes supported the research hypotheses because all the constructs of this research indicated Cronbach's alpha larger than 0.6 and all of them were acceptable.

Social Media Usage in E-Government

When citizens are actively engaged in e-government processes as co-creators it leads to e-government development. Citizen participation in e-government is a recent phenomenon where government is seeking more involvement of citizens through different platforms. Whether citizens' participation through social media platforms leads to e-government development has been a debate in literature. In this research study, the authors investigate whether social media usage influences government's role in e-government development. Power distance between government and citizen also plays a role in deciding the extent of e-participation in e-government. In this study, the authors examine the relationship between social media, power distance, citizen engagement and e-government development. Using customer focus theory and agency theory, this study establishes that e-participation initiative by government acts as a mediator in the relation between social media usage by citizen as well as power distance to e-government development.

Enhancing citizen participation in South African e-government: technology, organisation and environment factors

According to the e-government readiness index, which determines the capability and motivation of countries to use e-government for development, South Africa is considered ready for e-government. However, actual citizen use of e-government remains low. In order to investigate the reasons for low citizen participation, e-government services will be evaluated in terms of the technology-organisation-environment framework. Technology factors to be investigated include the e-government strategy, security of data and information, choice of platform, interoperability between platforms, and infrastructure in place. In terms of organisation factors, citizen willingness to share information, awareness and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills and education will be investigated. Environmental factors to be investigated are the political motivation for participation, economic factors including ICT investment, and policies and regulations. This research aims to investigate the factors which affect citizen participation in e-government, and propose a model for evaluating e-government services. The model is proposed based on a thorough literature survey and questionnaire findings relevant to the identified factors.

The Digital Divide in Citizen-Initiated Government Contacts: A GIS Approach

As the role of information and communications technologies (ICTs) grows, governments have seen the Geoweb and Web 2.0 as an opportunity to increase citizen involvement through e-government which provides citizens with the ability to record and share information. 311 services represent citizens' most direct contact with local governments in the form of volunteered geographic information (VGI) empowering citizens with the means of solving community issues. Past studies have examined VGI and e-government use finding patterns of a digital divide with survey data; yet, further research which allows for the visualization of these patterns using citizen-generated data is needed to understand the link between users and the content they create. This paper seeks to explore the relationship between sociodemographic status and 311 service request frequency in three cities within the United States using geographic information systems (GIS) and regression analysis. Results suggest the potential existence of a digital divide and that the demographic profile of a city plays a role in participation in e-government.

Designing for reportability: sustainable gamification, public engagement, and promoting environmental debate

There is a growing emphasis in many countries on matters such as participation in e-government, e-democracy, the provision of forums for online debate, and so on. A critical issue in all of these cases is one of encouraging engagement across a broad spectrum of potentially interested parties and stakeholders. In this paper, we use an ethnographic study of an online event, designed to encourage debate, to explore some critical issues in how the mechanisms productive of debate have shifted in company with the Web 2.0 phenomenon. By contrasting this with a prior study of how players managed their gameplay in a multiplayer pervasive game, we focus upon how different ways of constructing games and events can have serious implications for their ordinary everyday reportability in routine face-to-face interactions. We conclude that designing for reportability should be an active consideration when designing the resources for online debate and consider some ways in which that might be accomplished.

E-government Awareness and Visitation among the Digitally Disadvantaged

The authors undertake an exploratory study, in the context of a digitally disadvantaged community in the United States, to determine what factors are associated with e-government website visitation. Following up on a community-based initiative, designed to stimulate computer literacy and access to information and communication technologies for residents and neighbors of an underserved public housing community, a survey of e-government website visitation was undertaken. The results indicate that over half of the respondents are aware of or have visited e-government websites, with nearly a third indicating they intend to use e-government websites in the future. Awareness of e-government websites was found to be significantly related to e-government website visitation. Internet experience and perceived access barriers were found not to be significantly related to e-government website visitation. The authors conclude by emphasizing the importance of a community organizing strategy to sustain e-government participation among the digitally disadvantaged.

Grassroots Community Participation as a Key to e-Governance Sustainability in Africa

This article explores the theoretical sustainability of e-governance in Africa by assessing the nature of participation of stakeholders. It adopts an explanatory critique, drawing on perspectives debated in scholarly literature and based on reviews of country approaches. The exploration takes into account historical antecedents to participation in e-governance in Africa, revealing that dominant stakeholder interests effectively lock out the majority of citizens from active participation in e-governance, except as consumers of public services delivered through e-government. It considers the nature of attachment of stakeholders to e-governance projects. Global stakeholders increasingly have a low degree of attachment, while there is a relatively high degree of enrolment of local actors. The concept of e-governance remains solid, but is dispensable, since although government agencies have “embraced” the message of e-government, certain local actors are weakly mobilised. The policy process has failed to nurture the heterogeneity of actors, specifically grassroots actors, that is required for effective e-governance.

Accountability E Governo Eletrônico: Uma Análise Sobre a Participação (Popular Accountability and E-Government: An Analysis of Popular Participation)

The paper aims to analyze the degree of popular participation in e-government and accountability mechanisms. In order to answer the research question, which discusses the level of graduate students participation in those devices, a survey was adopted. Questionnaires were applied to 51 students in June, 2010 and the results indicate that the problem of popular participation in e-government lies not in the lack of technology, but on the political culture of the citizens and on the stage of development of national politics.

An Empirical Evaluation of E-Government Inclusion Among the Digitally Disadvantaged in the United States

The authors undertake an exploratory study, in the context of a digitally disadvantaged community in the United States, to determine what factors are associated with e-government website visitation. Following a community-based initiative, designed to stimulate computer literacy and access to information and communication technologies for residents and neighbors of an underserved public housing community, a survey of e-government website visitation was undertaken. The results indicate that over half of the respondents are aware of or have visited e-government websites, with nearly a third indicating they intend to use e-government websites in the future. Awareness of e-government websites was found to be significantly related to e-government website visitation. Internet experience and perceived access barriers were found not to be significantly related to e-government website visitation. This research enhances the understanding of visitation of e-government services among techno-disadvantaged citizens to encourage greater inclusion. The authors conclude by emphasizing the importance of a community organizing strategy to sustain e-government participation among the digitally disadvantaged.

E-Government Implementation

As e-government becomes increasingly pervasive in modern public administrative management, its influence on organizations and individuals has become hard to ignore. It is therefore timely and relevant to examine e-governance—the fundamental mission of e-government. By adopting a stakeholder perspective and coming from the strategic orientation of control and collaboration management philosophy, this study approaches the topic of e-governance in e-government from the three critical aspects of stakeholder management: (1) identification of stakeholders, (2) recognition of differing interests among stakeholders, and (3) how an organization caters to and furthers these interests. Findings from the case study allow us to identify four important groups of stakeholders known as the Engineers, Dissidents, Seasoners, and Skeptics who possess vastly different characteristics and varying levels of acceptance of and commitment towards the e-filing paradigm. Accordingly, four corresponding management strategies with varying degrees of collaboration and control mechanisms are devised in the bid to align these stakeholder interests such that their participation in e-government can be leveraged by public organizations to achieve competitive advantage.

Managing Stakeholder Interests in E-Government Implementation

As e-government plays an increasingly dominant role in modern public administrative management, its pervasive influence on organizations and individuals is apparent. It is, therefore, timely and relevant to examine e-governance—the fundamental mission of e-government. By adopting a stakeholder perspective, this study approaches the topic of e-governance in e-government from the three critical aspects of stakeholder management: (1) identification of stakeholders; (2) recognition of differing interests among stakeholders; and (3) how an organization caters to and furthers these interests. Findings from the case study point to the importance of (1) discarding the traditional preference for controls to develop instead a proactive attitude towards the identification of all relevant collaborators; (2) conducting cautious assessments of the technological restrictions underlying IT-transformed public services to map out the boundary for devising and implementing control and collaboration mechanisms in the system; and (3) developing strategies to align stakeholder interests so that participation in e-government can be self-governing.

The Depository Library Community and Collaborative Participation in E-Government

The continuation of the Federal Depository Library Program's historic information dissemination, access, and preservation roles are now dependent upon multi-agency e-government collaboration. The collections and research expertise of Federal Depository libraries are the critical features missing in current e-government service models. The authors propose that the public service and resource discovery features now available at FDLP libraries be coordinated nationally via an AskUS-FDLP Library Portal.