An empirical validation of a unified model of electronic government adoption (UMEGA)

In electronic government (hereafter e-government), a large variety of technology adoption models are employed, which make researchers and policymakers puzzled about which one to use. In this research, nine well-known theoretical models of information technology adoption are evaluated and 29 different constructs are identified. A unified model of e-government adoption (UMEGA) is developed and validated using data gathered from 377 respondents from seven selected cities in India. The results indicate that the proposed unified model outperforms all other theoretical models, explaining the highest variance on behavioral intention, acceptable levels of fit indices, and significant relationships for each of the seven hypotheses. The UMEGA is a parsimonious model based on the e-government-specific context, whereas the constructs from the original technology adoption models were found to be inappropriate for the e-government context. By using the UMEGA, relevant e-government constructs were included. For further research, we recommend the development of e-government-specific scales.

[1]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models , 1989 .

[2]  A. Ho.  Reinventing Local Governments and the E‐Government Initiative , 2002 .

[3]  Sven Laumer,et al.  Who influences whom? Analyzing workplace referents' social influence on IT adoption and non-adoption , 2009, J. Inf. Technol..

[4]  Eric T. G. Wang,et al.  Understanding customers' repeat purchase intentions in B2C e‐commerce: the roles of utilitarian value, hedonic value and perceived risk , 2014, Inf. Syst. J..

[5]  Yi-Shun Wang,et al.  Why do people use information kiosks? A validation of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology , 2009, Gov. Inf. Q..

[6]  Wynne W. Chin,et al.  On the use, usefulness, and ease of use of structural equation modeling in MIS research: a note of caution , 1995 .

[7]  I. Ajzen.  The theory of planned behavior , 1991 .

[8]  Magid Igbaria,et al.  Computer anxiety and attitudes towards microcomputer use , 1990 .

[9]  D. Gilbert,et al.  Barriers and benefits in the adoption of e‐government , 2004 .

[10]  Xiaojun Zhang,et al.  Household technology adoption in a global marketplace: Incorporating the role of espoused cultural values , 2008, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[11]  L. G. Tornatzky,et al.  Innovation characteristics and innovation adoption-implementation: A meta-analysis of findings , 1982, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

[12]  Paul A. Pavlou,et al.  Encouraging Citizen Adoption of eGovernment by Building Trust , 2002, Electron. Mark..

[13]  Patrice McDermott,et al.  Building open government , 2010, Gov. Inf. Q..

[14]  José Manuel Ortega Egea,et al.  Explaining physicians' acceptance of EHCR systems: An extension of TAM with trust and risk factors , 2011, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[15]  Xinran Y. Lehto,et al.  Adoption of Mobile Technologies for Chinese Consumers , 2007 .

[16]  Yogesh Kumar Dwivedi,et al.  Adoption of online public grievance redressal system in India: Toward developing a unified view , 2016, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[17]  Shin-Yuan Hung,et al.  User acceptance of mobile e-government services: An empirical study , 2013, Gov. Inf. Q..

[18]  M. A. Quaddus,et al.  An investigation into the factors influencing consumers to use e-services of indonesian airlines: the role of motivation , 2011, ECIS.

[19]  J. H. Steiger.  Statistically based tests for the number of common factors , 1980 .

[20]  France Bélanger,et al.  Trust and Risk in eGovernment Adoption , 2008, AMCIS.

[21]  Oscar Gutierrez,et al.  Information technology acceptance in the social services sector context: an exploration. , 2007, Social work.

[22]  Magid Igbaria,et al.  An Examination of Gender Differences in the Determinants of Computer Anxiety and Attitudes Toward Microcomputers Among Managers , 1990, Int. J. Man Mach. Stud..

[23]  Dale Goodhue,et al.  Understanding user evaluations of information systems , 1995 .

[24]  P. Bentler,et al.  Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis : Conventional criteria versus new alternatives , 1999 .

[25]  Robert Goodwin,et al.  User acceptance of SMS-based e-government services: Differences between adopters and non-adopters , 2011, Gov. Inf. Q..

[26]  J. Lewis,et al.  Trust as a Social Reality , 1985 .

[27]  Izak Benbasat,et al.  Development of an Instrument to Measure the Perceptions of Adopting an Information Technology Innovation , 1991, Inf. Syst. Res..

[28]  James C. McElroy,et al.  Attitudinal and Behavioral Correlates of Computer Anxiety , 1986 .

[29]  Calvin Meng Lai Chan,et al.  Managing e-Government system implementation: a resource enactment perspective , 2011, Eur. J. Inf. Syst..

[30]  James C. Anderson,et al.  STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING IN PRACTICE: A REVIEW AND RECOMMENDED TWO-STEP APPROACH , 1988 .

[31]  Detmar W. Straub,et al.  Coping With Systems Risk: Security Planning Models for Management Decision Making , 1998, MIS Q..

[32]  Zahir Irani,et al.  Electronic transformation of government in the U.K.: a research agenda , 2007, Eur. J. Inf. Syst..

[33]  Yi-Shun Wang,et al.  Assessing eGovernment systems success: A validation of the DeLone and McLean model of information systems success , 2008, Gov. Inf. Q..

[34]  Thompson S. H. Teo,et al.  Consumer trust in e-commerce in the United States, Singapore and China , 2007 .

[35]  J. H. Davis,et al.  An Integrative Model Of Organizational Trust , 1995 .

[36]  Xu Ji-sheng.  Determinants of User Acceptance of the E-Government Services——the Case of Online Tax Filing and Payment System , 2008 .

[37]  Andy P. Field,et al.  Discovering Statistics Using SPSS , 2000 .

[38]  Yeoh Sok Foon,et al.  Internet Banking Adoption in Kuala Lumpur: An Application of UTAUT Model , 2011 .

[39]  John Michael Pearson,et al.  Internet banking in Jordan: an Arabic instrument validation process , 2009, Int. Arab J. Inf. Technol..

[40]  M. J. Moon.  The Evolution of E-Government among Municipalities: Rhetoric or Reality? , 2002 .

[41]  Shinjeng Lin,et al.  Podcasting Acceptance on Campus: An extension of the UTAUT Model , 2008 .

[42]  Anne-Sophie Cases.  Perceived risk and risk-reduction strategies in Internet shopping , 2002 .

[43]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[44]  Zahir Irani,et al.  Technical and organisational challenges facing transactional e-government systems: an empirical study , 2005, Electron. Gov. an Int. J..

[45]  Xin Luo,et al.  Examining multi-dimensional trust and multi-faceted risk in initial acceptance of emerging technologies: An empirical study of mobile banking services , 2010, Decis. Support Syst..

[46]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View , 2003, MIS Q..

[47]  David H. Coursey,et al.  Models of E-Government: Are They Correct? An Empirical Assessment , 2008 .

[48]  A. Bandura.  The Explanatory and Predictive Scope of Self-Efficacy Theory , 1986 .

[49]  P. A. Dabholkar,et al.  Integrating attitudinal theories to understand and predict use of technology‐based self‐service: The Internet as an illustration , 2001 .

[50]  S. Kim,et al.  The Role of Trust in the Modern Administrative State , 2005 .

[51]  Cynthia K. Riemenschneider,et al.  Executive Decisions About Adoption of Information Technology in Small Business: Theory and Empirical Tests , 1997, Inf. Syst. Res..

[52]  Shan Ling Pan,et al.  Managing IT-enabled transformation in the public sector: A case study on e-government in South Korea , 2007, Gov. Inf. Q..

[53]  Alok Mishra,et al.  E-Government: A global view and an empirical evaluation of some attributes of citizens , 2005, Gov. Inf. Q..

[54]  Yudi Fernando,et al.  Factors influencing intention to use e-government services among citizens in Malaysia , 2009, Int. J. Inf. Manag..

[55]  Deborah Compeau,et al.  Social Cognitive Theory and Individual Reactions to Computing Technology: A Longitudinal Study , 1999, MIS Q..

[56]  Graham Pervan,et al.  ICT and OTs: A model of information and communication technology acceptance and utilisation by occupational therapists , 2007, Int. J. Medical Informatics.

[57]  Wouter Duyck,et al.  Predicting secondary school teachers' acceptance and use of a digital learning environment: A cross-sectional study , 2011, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[58]  Albert H. Segars,et al.  Re-examining perceived ease of use and usefulness , 1993 .

[59]  Caroline J. Tolbert,et al.  The Effects of E-Government on Trust and Confidence in Government , 2003, DG.O.

[60]  D. West.  E‐Government and the Transformation of Service Delivery and Citizen Attitudes , 2004 .

[61]  Robert D. Smith,et al.  Computer anxiety in management: myth or reality? , 1986, CACM.

[62]  P. Bentler,et al.  Significance Tests and Goodness of Fit in the Analysis of Covariance Structures , 1980 .

[63]  Kieran Mathieson,et al.  Predicting User Intentions: Comparing the Technology Acceptance Model with the Theory of Planned Behavior , 1991, Inf. Syst. Res..

[64]  Youngjin Yoo,et al.  It's all about attitude: revisiting the technology acceptance model , 2004, Decis. Support Syst..

[65]  Ting-Yi Lu,et al.  Modeling E-Coupon Proneness as a Mediator in the Extended TPB Model to Predict Consumers' Usage Intentions , 2011, Internet Res..

[66]  D. W. Barclay,et al.  The Effects of Organizational Differences and Trust on the Effectiveness of Selling Partner Relationships , 1997 .

[67]  Mark Vandenbosch,et al.  Research Report: Richness Versus Parsimony in Modeling Technology Adoption Decisions - Understanding Merchant Adoption of a Smart Card-Based Payment System , 2001, Inf. Syst. Res..

[68]  Paul A. Pavlou,et al.  Understanding and Predicting Electronic Commerce Adoption: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior , 2006, MIS Q..

[69]  Khaled A. Alshare,et al.  Predicting Student-Perceived Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction in ERP Courses: An Empirical Investigation , 2011, Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst..

[70]  J. Grimes,et al.  Promoting transparency and accountability through ICTs, social media, and collaborative e‐government , 2012 .

[71]  R. Zmud,et al.  Information technology implementation research: a technological diffusion approach , 1990 .

[72]  Peter A. Todd,et al.  Understanding Information Technology Usage: A Test of Competing Models , 1995, Inf. Syst. Res..

[73]  Yogesh Kumar Dwivedi,et al.  Citizen's adoption of an e-government system: Validating extended social cognitive theory (SCT) , 2015, Gov. Inf. Q..

[74]  Richard Heeks,et al.  Analyzing e-government research: Perspectives, philosophies, theories, methods, and practice , 2007, Gov. Inf. Q..

[75]  Lok Sabha,et al.  PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU GOVERNMENT OF INDIA *** INCREASE IN BASIC CUSTOMS DUTY ON IMPORTED STEEL , 2015 .

[76]  Ephraim R. McLean,et al.  The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success: A Ten-Year Update , 2003, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[77]  Viswanath Venkatesh,et al.  Designing E-Government Services: Key Service Attributes and Citizens’ Preference Structures , 2012 .

[78]  Ieee Xplore,et al.  International Conference on Innovations in Information Technology , 2004 .

[79]  Jaeki Song,et al.  Investigating the role of attitude in technology acceptance from an attitude strength perspective , 2009, Int. J. Inf. Manag..

[80]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies , 2000, Management Science.

[81]  T. H. Kwon,et al.  Unifying the fragmented models of information systems implementation , 1987 .

[82]  R. Hoyle.  The structural equation modeling approach: Basic concepts and fundamental issues. , 1995 .

[83]  Vishanth Weerakkody,et al.  Investigating success of an e-government initiative: Validation of an integrated IS success model , 2014, Information Systems Frontiers.

[84]  S. Huang,et al.  An empirical study of on-line tax filing acceptance model: Integrating TAM and TPB , 2010 .

[85]  Michael H. Deis,et al.  An Evaluation of Retraining Programs for Dislocated Workers in the Airline Industry , 2002 .

[86]  Shin-Yuan Hung,et al.  User acceptance of intergovernmental services: An example of electronic document management system , 2009, Gov. Inf. Q..

[87]  C. Fornell,et al.  Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. , 1981 .

[88]  James C. Wetherbe,et al.  The Adoption of Spreadsheet Software: Testing Innovation Diffusion Theory in the Context of End-User Computing , 1990, Inf. Syst. Res..

[89]  Ray Hackney,et al.  Towards an e-Government efficiency agenda: the impact of information and communication behaviour on e-Reverse auctions in public sector procurement , 2007, Eur. J. Inf. Syst..

[90]  Ludwig Christian Schaupp,et al.  The impact of trust, risk and optimism bias on E-file adoption , 2010, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[91]  James K. Scott.  “E” the People: Do U.S. Municipal Government Web Sites Support Public Involvement? , 2006 .

[92]  H. Raghav Rao,et al.  A trust-based consumer decision-making model in electronic commerce: The role of trust, perceived risk, and their antecedents , 2008, Decis. Support Syst..

[93]  Nan Zhang,et al.  Why adoption and use behavior of IT/IS cannot last?—two studies in China , 2011, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[94]  Charles D. Barrett.  Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[95]  Deborah Compeau,et al.  Computer Self-Efficacy: Development of a Measure and Initial Test , 1995, MIS Q..

[96]  Ludwig Christian Schaupp,et al.  Relating Acceptance and Optimism to E-File Adoption , 2009, Int. J. Electron. Gov. Res..

[97]  Z. Al-adawi.  CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF CITIZEN ADOPTION OF E-GOVERNMENT , 2005 .

[98]  S. Bhatnagar.  Social Implications of Information and Communication Technology in Developing Countries: Lessons from Asian Success Stories , 2000, Electron. J. Inf. Syst. Dev. Ctries..

[99]  Hsi‐Peng Lu,et al.  An empirical study of the effect of perceived risk upon intention to use online applications , 2005, Inf. Manag. Comput. Security.

[100]  James C. Anderson,et al.  Monte Carlo Evaluations of Goodness of Fit Indices for Structural Equation Models , 1992 .

[101]  Taegoo Terry Kim,et al.  Modelling roles of task-technology fit and self-efficacy in hotel employees' usage behaviours of hotel information systems. , 2010 .

[102]  Ludwig Christian Schaupp,et al.  E-Government Utilization: Understanding the Impact of Reputation and Risk , 2012, Int. J. Electron. Gov. Res..

[103]  James Cox,et al.  Information systems user security: A structured model of the knowing-doing gap , 2012, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[104]  Ludwig Christian Schaupp,et al.  E-File Adoption: A Study of U.S. Taxpayers' Intentions , 2009 .

[105]  J. H. Davis,et al.  An integrative model of organizational trust, Academy of Management Review, : . , 1995 .

[106]  Mohammad I. Muhairat,et al.  Factors affecting acceptance of web-based training system: Using extended UTAUT and structural equation modeling , 2012, ArXiv.

[107]  Mohamed G. Aboelmaged,et al.  Predicting e-procurement adoption in a developing country: An empirical integration of technology acceptance model and theory of planned behaviour , 2010, Ind. Manag. Data Syst..

[108]  Shin-Yuan Hung,et al.  Determinants of user acceptance of the e-Government services: The case of online tax filing and payment system , 2006, Gov. Inf. Q..

[109]  M. J. Moon,et al.  Advancing E‐Government at the Grassroots: Tortoise or Hare? , 2005 .

[110]  William H. Ross,et al.  MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF TRUST IN NEGOTIATION THEORY AND RESEARCH: A LITERATURE REVIEW AND INTEGRATIVE MODEL , 1996 .

[111]  Paul H. P. Yeow,et al.  Acceptability of ATM and Transit Applications Embedded in Multipurpose Smart Identity Card: An Exploratory Study in Malaysia , 2009, Int. J. Electron. Gov. Res..

[112]  Paul Jen-Hwa Hu,et al.  Extending the two‐stage information systems continuance model: incorporating UTAUT predictors and the role of context , 2011, Inf. Syst. J..

[113]  E. Rogers.  Diffusion of Innovations , 1962 .

[114]  W. Zikmund.  Business Research Methods , 1984 .

[115]  Margôt Kuttschreuter,et al.  Perceived usefulness, personal experiences, risk perception and trust as determinants of adoption of e-government services in The Netherlands , 2007, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[116]  Deborah Compeau,et al.  Application of Social Cognitive Theory to Training for Computer Skills , 1995, Inf. Syst. Res..

[117]  Vishanth Weerakkody,et al.  Examining the influence of intermediaries in facilitating e-government adoption: An empirical investigation , 2013, Int. J. Inf. Manag..

[118]  R. Bagozzi.  Attitudes, intentions, and behavior: A test of some key hypotheses. , 1981 .

[119]  Viswanath Venkatesh,et al.  Consumer Acceptance and Use of Information Technology: Extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology , 2012, MIS Q..

[120]  Yogesh Kumar Dwivedi,et al.  Citizens’ adoption of an electronic government system: towards a unified view , 2015, Information Systems Frontiers.

[121]  Magid Igbaria,et al.  A Path Analytic Study of Individual Characteristics, Computer Anxiety and Attitudes toward Microcomputers , 1989 .

[122]  Detmar W. Straub,et al.  Trust and TAM in Online Shopping: An Integrated Model , 2003, MIS Q..

[123]  Ephraim R. McLean,et al.  Information Systems Success: The Quest for the Dependent Variable , 1992, Inf. Syst. Res..

[124]  Donald F. Norris,et al.  The Scholarly Literature on E-Government: Characterizing a Nascent Field , 2006, Int. J. Electron. Gov. Res..

[125]  Héctor San Martín,et al.  Influence of the user's psychological factors on the online purchase intention in rural tourism: integrating innovativeness to the UTAUT framework. , 2012 .

[126]  Jane M. Howell,et al.  Personal Computing: Toward a Conceptual Model of Utilization , 1991, MIS Q..

[127]  Deron Liang,et al.  Assessing citizen adoption of e-Government initiatives in Gambia: A validation of the technology acceptance model in information systems success , 2011, Gov. Inf. Q..

[128]  Khalil Md Nor,et al.  Obstacles Facing the Adoption of E-Government Services in Jordan , 2010 .

[129]  Robin Gauld,et al.  Do they want it? Do they use it? The 'Demand-Side' of e-Government in Australia and New Zealand , 2010, Gov. Inf. Q..

[130]  Richard T. Watson,et al.  A strategic perspective of electronic democracy , 2001, CACM.

[131]  Jonathan W. Palmer,et al.  Web Site Usability, Design, and Performance Metrics , 2002, Inf. Syst. Res..

[132]  Prodromos D. Chatzoglou,et al.  Using a modified technology acceptance model in hospitals , 2009, Int. J. Medical Informatics.

[133]  D. Gefen,et al.  E-commerce: the role of familiarity and trust , 2000 .

[134]  Victor R. Prybutok,et al.  A Model for Mandatory Use of Software Technologies: An Integrative Approach by Applying Multiple Levels of Abstraction of Informing Science , 2010 .

[135]  Yogesh Kumar Dwivedi,et al.  Moving towards maturity: challenges to successful e-government implementation and diffusion , 2012, DATB.

[136]  Enrique Bonsón,et al.  Local e-government 2.0: Social media and corporate transparency in municipalities , 2012, Gov. Inf. Q..

[137]  D. Leonard-Barton,et al.  Managerial influence in the implementation of new technology , 1988 .

[138]  Lai Lai Tung,et al.  Adoption of electronic government services among business organizations in Singapore , 2005, J. Strateg. Inf. Syst..

[139]  France Bélanger,et al.  The utilization of e‐government services: citizen trust, innovation and acceptance factors * , 2005, Inf. Syst. J..

[140]  Wan-I Lee,et al.  Internet Lottery Commerce: An Integrated View of Online Sport Lottery Adoption , 2012 .

[141]  Dale Goodhue,et al.  Task-Technology Fit and Individual Performance , 1995, MIS Q..

[142]  Mark W. Johnston,et al.  Analysis of role conflict and role ambiguity in a structural equations framework , 1990 .

[143]  Malcolm Munro,et al.  Information Technology Assessment and Adoption: A Field Study , 1985, MIS Q..

[144]  Rhoda C. Joseph.  A structured analysis of e-government studies: Trends and opportunities , 2013, Gov. Inf. Q..

[145]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research , 1977 .

[146]  Michael R. Simonson,et al.  Development of a Standardized Test of Computer Literacy and a Computer Anxiety Index , 1987 .

[147]  Ioannis A. Tsoukalas,et al.  Applying participatory design and collaboration in digital public services for discovering and re-designing e-Government services , 2007, Gov. Inf. Q..

[148]  M. Sirajul Islam,et al.  Challenges to the successful implementation of eGovernment initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa : A Literature Review , 2012 .

[149]  Rolph E. Anderson,et al.  Multivariate Data Analysis with Readings , 1979 .

[150]  Shirley Taylor,et al.  Decomposition and crossover effects in the theory of planned behavior: A study of consumer adoption intentions , 1995 .

[151]  Awdhesh K. Singh,et al.  Integrating Internet, telephones, and call centers for delivering better quality e-governance to all citizens , 2008, Gov. Inf. Q..

[152]  Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen.  E-governance and stage models: analysis of identified models and selected Eurasian experiences in digitising citizen service delivery , 2016, Electron. Gov. an Int. J..

[153]  Ainin Sulaiman,et al.  Factors Influencing Intention to Use MYEPF I-Akaun , 2012 .

[154]  Ludwig Christian Schaupp,et al.  E-file adoption: A study of U.S. taxpayers' intentions , 2010, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[155]  Susan P. Williams,et al.  Assembling E‐Government Research Designs: A Transdisciplinary View and Interactive Approach , 2011 .

[156]  Adela S. M. Lau.  Strategies to encourage the adoption of G2C e-government services in Hong Kong , 2004, Electron. Gov. an Int. J..

[157]  Alexander J. McLeod,et al.  Security and Privacy Trust in E-Government: Understanding System and Relationship Trust Antecedents , 2009, 2009 42nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

[158]  Costas Zafiropoulos,et al.  Extending TAM to Understand E-Governance Adoption by Teachers in Greece , 2010, WSKS.

[159]  Marjan Hericko,et al.  An Empirical Study of Virtual Learning Environment Adoption Using UTAUT , 2010, 2010 Second International Conference on Mobile, Hybrid, and On-Line Learning.

[160]  Fred D. Davis.  Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology , 1989, MIS Q..

[161]  Murali Sambasivan,et al.  User acceptance of a G2B system: a case of electronic procurement system in Malaysia , 2010, Internet Res..

[162]  M. Browne,et al.  Alternative Ways of Assessing Model Fit , 1992 .

[163]  J. Ramon Gil-Garcia,et al.  Towards a multidimensional model for evaluating electronic government: Proposing a more comprehensive and integrative perspective , 2012, Gov. Inf. Q..