Cultural Influence on e‑Government Development

Abstract

E‑government development varies across countries. This study aims to examine the impact of national culture on e‑government development across 78 countries. The dimensions of national culture are power distance, individualism, masculinity, long‑term orientation, uncertainty avoidance, and indulgence. The paper also examines the role of GDP per capita on e‑government development. The result shows that individualism and long‑term orientation are positively related to e‑government development, whereas power distance is negatively related to e‑government development. Also, GDP per capita is found to be significantly impacting e‑government development. Multi‑level interaction effect of GDP per capita and culture on e‑government development is discussed. The paper outlines the implications of results and strategies to design culturally acceptable e‑government policies. The paper argues that growth in economic prosperity cannot guarantee e‑government development, and national culture must be included in a holistic discussion of the development.