Examining the Barriers to e‑Government Adoption

Abstract

e‑Government initially began as process where government entities developed websites and began populating these sites with information. After mastering this information dissemination aspect, government units moved toward processing online transactions. Subsequent to mastering transaction processing, governments moved across a continuum and engaged citizens online in a participatory framework; that is, offering Internet applications that connect citizens with public administrators, decision‑makers, and perhaps elected officials. While the subsequent progression and potential benefits of e‑Government applications are without limits, there are a number of barriers that impede the implementation of such applications. Using survey data collected by the International CityCounty Management Association (ICMA), this paper examines the factors that most impede the adoption of e‑Government applications. Central research questions include: what are the differences between municipalities that have comprehensive e‑ Government platforms and those that do not, and to what extent do certain barriers explain these differences? Multiple regression results indicate that e‑Government adoption is a function of financial, technical, and human resources. Holding all other factors constant, municipalities with higher operating budgets, more full‑time IT staff, and technical resources are more likely to implement a comprehensive e‑Government platform. Political support is a key and fairly robust determinant of municipal e‑Government adoption as well.