Web-based e-Government Services Acceptance for G2C

241 Pages·2011·1.99 MB·English

Web­based e­Government Services Acceptance for 
G2C: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach 
AHMED IBRAHIM ALZAHRANI

Faculty of Technology
(Computing Science and Engineering)

De Montfort University,
LEICESTER, UNITED KINGDOM

A doctoral thesis submitted to
De Montfort University
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

MARCH 2011
Abstract
ABSTRACT
E-Government is the use of information technology particularly web applications to deliver
convenient services for citizens, business and government. It can be categorised into three
main dimensions: government-to-citizen (G2C), government-to-government (G2G) and
government-to-business (G2B). Governments worldwide spend billions of their budgets in
order to deliver convenient electronic services to their citizens. There are two important
points; government offers online services, and citizens consume these services. In order to
maximize the benefits of these projects and to avoid possible failures, the gap between
these points should be addressed. Yet there are few empirical studies that have covered the
relevant issues of adoption from the citizen perspective in developing countries.
This research study investigates citizens’ acceptance of e-government services in the
context of Saudi Arabia. It posits an integrated model of the key elements that influence
citizens’ adoption of e-government. The framework includes a combination of attitudinal,
social, control and trust factors as well as the influence of gender. The model is validated
by surveying 533 citizens and utilising the structural equation modeling technique for data
analysis. Findings show that both measurement and structural models exhibit good model
fit to data. The study shows that all constructs satisfy the criteria of constructs reliability
and convergent and discriminant validity. The paths estimations show that of the sixteen
designed casual relationships, eleven paths relationships were found to be significant while
the other five paths remained unsupported.
The original contribution made by this study is to provide further insight and a better
understanding of citizen acceptance of e-government services, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
The study portrays a roadmap for acceptance by developing an integrated model for e-
government adoption from citizens’ viewpoints. The model is novel in terms of integrating
trust in the Internet, government and the gender factor in the decomposed Theory of
Planned Behaviour. The study extends the body of knowledge of the Decomposition
i
Abstract
Theory of Planned Behaviour by applying and validating the model for Saudi Arabian e-
government users where the sample has not been surveyed in previous research.
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Acknowledgements
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
After sincerely thanking ALLAH (GOD) for all blessings and guidance to complete this
project, I would like to express my thanks to several individuals without whom this study
would be difficult to complete.
I owe special thanks to my father and mother, and my wife and our two sons, for their
endless support and encouragement. My thanks extended to my uncle and my aunt, your
letter dated in 1987 from Manchester, England is unforgettable urging me to come to UK in
the future and do PhD. My thanks are extended to all my friends and colleagues.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisors professor Bernd Stahl and
Mary Prior for their patience, tireless support, insightful suggestion, valuable guidance and
friendly cooperation making this project possible.
My appreciation is extended to King Saud University for their financial support during my
study. I extend my thanks to all participants in this research who support and encourage this
project. To all who helped me during this incredible stage of my life, I owe you thanks.
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Table of Contents 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... i 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii 
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... iv 
LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... ix 
LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi 
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................... xii 
1  CHAPTER ONE: RESEARCH INTRODUCTION ............................................................ 1 
1.1  Introduction and Research Background .................................................................. 1 
1.2  E-Government in Saudi Arabia ............................................................................... 2 
1.3  The Importance of the Study ................................................................................... 2 
1.4  The Significance of the Study ................................................................................. 4 
1.5  The Research Aims.................................................................................................. 5 
1.6  The Research Questions .......................................................................................... 5 
1.7  Thesis Structure ....................................................................................................... 6 
2  CHAPTER TWO: E-GOVERNMENT ............................................................................. 11 
2.1  Introduction ........................................................................................................... 11 
2.2  Definition of e-government ................................................................................... 11 
2.3  Classification of E-Government ............................................................................ 15 
2.4  Models of E-Governments Stages ......................................................................... 17 
2.5  Drivers of E-Government ...................................................................................... 21 
2.5.1  Drivers of E-Government in the Developed Countries .................................. 21 
2.5.2  Drivers of E-Government in the Developing Countries ................................ 22 
2.6  Benefits of E-Government ..................................................................................... 24 
2.7  Disadvantages of E-Government ........................................................................... 27 
2.8  E-Government and E-Commerce .......................................................................... 32 
2.9  Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 36 
3  CHAPTER THREE: THE COUNTRY CONTEXT .......................................................... 39 
3.1  Introduction ........................................................................................................... 39 
3.2  The Study Context ................................................................................................. 39 
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Table of Contents 
3.3  Saudi Arabia the Country ...................................................................................... 40 
3.4  Political System ..................................................................................................... 41 
3.5  People .................................................................................................................... 43 
3.6  Population .............................................................................................................. 45 
3.7  Internet Technology .............................................................................................. 46 
3.8  E-Government in Saudi Arabia ............................................................................. 49 
3.9  Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 57 
4  CHAPTER FOUR: MODELS OF ADOPTION ................................................................ 59 
4.1  Introduction ........................................................................................................... 59 
4.2  Theories of Technology Acceptance ..................................................................... 59 
4.2.1  Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) ......................................................... 60 
4.2.2  Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) ............................................................. 63 
4.2.3  Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI) .......................................................... 67 
4.3  Comparison between Models ................................................................................ 70 
4.4  Trust Research in Cyberspace ............................................................................... 72 
4.5  E-Government Related Research Studies .............................................................. 81 
4.6  The Research Model .............................................................................................. 88 
4.7  Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 92 
5  CHAPTER FIVE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................ 95 
5.1  Introduction ........................................................................................................... 95 
5.2  Research Paradigms............................................................................................... 95 
5.3  Research Strategies of the Inquiry ......................................................................... 98 
5.4  Research Methods ............................................................................................... 101 
5.4.1  Survey .......................................................................................................... 101 
5.4.2  Case Studies ................................................................................................. 102 
5.4.3  Experiment ................................................................................................... 104 
5.4.4  Action Research ........................................................................................... 105 
5.4.5  Ethnography ................................................................................................. 106 
5.4.6  The Chosen Research Method ..................................................................... 107 
5.5  Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 108 
6  CHAPTER SIX: RESEARCH DESIGN ......................................................................... 109 
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Table of Contents 
6.1  Introduction ......................................................................................................... 109 
6.2  Research Hypotheses and Model......................................................................... 109 
6.2.1  Attitude ......................................................................................................... 110 
6.2.2  Subjective Norm .......................................................................................... 110 
6.2.3  Perceived Behavioural Control .................................................................... 111 
6.2.4  Determinants of Attitude .............................................................................. 112 
6.2.5  Determinants of Subjective Norm ................................................................ 114 
6.2.6  Determinants of Perceived Behavioural Control ......................................... 116 
6.2.7  Trust Factors ................................................................................................ 117 
6.2.8  Gender Factor ............................................................................................... 119 
6.3  Research Instrument ............................................................................................ 120 
6.4  The Translation Process of the Instrument .......................................................... 125 
6.5  Ethical Permission ............................................................................................... 126 
6.6  Participants .......................................................................................................... 127 
6.7  Pilot Study ........................................................................................................... 127 
6.8  Sampling .............................................................................................................. 128 
6.9  Main Study .......................................................................................................... 129 
6.10  Data Analysis Technique ..................................................................................... 130 
6.11  Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 134 
7  CHAPTER SEVEN: DESCRIPTIVE DATA ANALYSIS ............................................. 136 
7.1  Introduction ......................................................................................................... 136 
7.2  The Demographic Profile .................................................................................... 136 
7.3  The Internet Usage Patterns................................................................................. 137 
7.4  The E-Government Profile .................................................................................. 138 
7.5  Data Outliers ........................................................................................................ 138 
7.6  Normality ............................................................................................................. 139 
7.7  Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 141 
8  CHAPTER EIGHT: ADVANCED STATISTICAL DATA ANALYSIS ....................... 143 
8.1  Introduction ......................................................................................................... 143 
8.2  Assumptions of SEM ........................................................................................... 143 
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Table of Contents 
8.3  Assessment of Model Fit ..................................................................................... 145 
8.4  Fit indices used in the Study ................................................................................ 147 
8.5  Measurement Model Analysis ............................................................................. 149 
8.5.1  The Research Measurement Model Overall Fit ........................................... 149 
8.5.2  Construct Reliability .................................................................................... 151 
8.5.3  Constructs Validity ...................................................................................... 152 
8.5.3.1  Convergent Validity ................................................................................. 153 
8.5.3.2  Discriminant Validity ............................................................................... 155 
8.6  Structural Model Analysis ................................................................................... 157 
8.6.1  The Research Structural Model Overall Fit ................................................. 157 
8.6.2  The Hypothesised Dependence Relationships Results ................................ 158 
8.7  Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 161 
9  CHAPTER NINE: DISCUSSION ................................................................................... 163 
9.1  Introduction ......................................................................................................... 163 
9.2  Findings Discussion ............................................................................................ 163 
9.2.1  Hypotheses Discussion ................................................................................ 164 
9.2.1.1  Behaviour Intention Determinants ...................................................................... 164 
9.2.1.2  The Attitude Determinants .................................................................................. 167 
9.2.1.3  The Subject Norm Determinants ......................................................................... 170 
9.2.1.4  The Perceived Behavioural Control Determinants.............................................. 172 
9.2.1.5  The Trust Determinants ...................................................................................... 175 
9.2.1.6  Gender Differences ............................................................................................. 177 
9.2.2  The E-Government Acceptance Model ........................................................ 178 
9.3  Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 181 
10  CHAPTER TEN: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................. 182 
10.1  Introduction ......................................................................................................... 182 
10.2  Research Summary .............................................................................................. 182 
10.3  Research Aims ..................................................................................................... 183 
10.4  Answering the Research Questions ..................................................................... 184 
10.5  Research Contributions ....................................................................................... 188 
10.6  Implications for Theory ....................................................................................... 190 
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10.7  Implications for Practice...................................................................................... 192 
10.8  Research Limitations ........................................................................................... 194 
10.9  Directions for Future Research ............................................................................ 195 
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 197 
APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRE - ENGLISH VERSION .................................................... 220 
APPENDIX B: QUESTIONNAIRE - ARABIC VERSION ...................................................... 224 

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List of Tables 
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1-1: Research Outline................................................................................................... 9 
Table 2-1: Summary about Different Views of E-Government Definition ......................... 14 
Table 2-2: Different Classification of E-Government. ........................................................ 17 
Table 2-3: Classifications Summary of E-Government Stages............................................ 21 
Table 2-4: Motivations of E-Government in the Industrialised and Developing Countries 24 
Table 2-5: Benefits of E-Government .................................................................................. 27 
Table 2-6: Comparison between Stages and Sectors of E-Government Model, Benefits and
Disadvantages ...................................................................................................................... 31 
Table 2-7: Differences between E-Government and E-Commerce ..................................... 34 
Table 2-8: Main Differences between E-Government and E-Commerce ............................ 35 
Table 2-9: Similarities of E-Government and E-Commerce ................................................ 35 
Table 3-1: Saudi Arabia Population by Age and Gender ..................................................... 46 
Table 4-1: Characteristics and Definitions of Situational Normality................................... 76 
Table 4-2: Summary of the Discussed Trust Studies ........................................................... 79 
Table 4-3: Summary of Studies in Citizen Adoption of E-Government .............................. 87 
Table 6-1: Attitudinal Factors with Correspondent Items ................................................. 122 
Table 6-2: Subjective Norm Factors with Correspondent Items ........................................ 123 
Table 6-3: Perceived Behavioural Control Factors with Correspondent Items ................. 124 
Table 6-4: Trust Factors and Behaviour Intention with Correspondent Items................... 125 
Table 7-1: Demographic Variables .................................................................................... 137 
Table 7-2: Internet Usage Patterns ..................................................................................... 138 
Table 7-3: E-Government Usage Patterns.......................................................................... 138 
Table 7-7: Mean and Standard Deviations ......................................................................... 139 
Table 7-8: Normality Assessment ...................................................................................... 141 
Table 8-1: Recommended Fit Measures of the Assessing a Model .................................. 149 
Table 8-2: Items Dropped with Factor Loadings Less than 0.50 ....................................... 150 
Table 8-3: Fit Measures of the Measurement Model ......................................................... 151 
Table 8-4: Composite Reliability Test ............................................................................... 152 
Table 8-5: Items Loading into their Perspective Factors ................................................... 154 
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