Citizen adoption of electronic government initiatives

Abstract

Electronic government, or e-government, increases the convenience and accessibility of government services and information to citizens. Despite the benefits of e-government - increased government accountability to citizens, greater public access to information, and a more efficient, cost-effective government - the success and acceptance of e-government initiatives, such as online voting and license renewal, are contingent upon citizens' willingness to adopt this innovation. In order to develop "citizen-centered" e-government services that provide citizens with accessible, relevant information and quality services that are more expedient than traditional "brick and mortar" transactions, government agencies must first understand the factors that influence citizen adoption of this innovation. This study integrates constructs from the technology acceptance model (TAM), diffusions of innovation theory (DOI) and Web trust model to form a parsimonious, yet comprehensive model of factors that influence citizen adoption of electronic government initiatives. The findings and implications of this study are discussed in the paper.