Loughborough University
Browse
Thesis-2007-AlAwadhi.pdf (35.24 MB)

E-government in Kuwait : attitudes and perceptions

Download (35.24 MB)
thesis
posted on 2013-07-22, 12:27 authored by Suha A.M. AlAwadhi
The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of citizens towards the adoption of e-government services in developing countries. This is deemed of value at a time when e-government initiatives are still emerging in many developing countries and many government departments and units have put a wide range of materials from publications and information about government services online for use by citizens. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model was adopted in this study to identify factors that determine the adoption of e-government services. The use of a theoretical model allowed for formulating hypotheses governing the relationship between the different variables. Mixed research methods were utilised to fulfil the aims and objectives of this study. The quantitative and qualitative methods used included a questionnaire survey, which incorporated the amended version of the UTAUT model and which was completed by more than 800 students at Kuwait University, as well as usability testing, focus groups, interviews and open-ended questions. The study found that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, peer influence and facilitating conditions were direct determinants of usage intention and behaviour while Internet experience and type of academic course moderated the impact of the determinants on usage intention and behaviour. The results also showed that the general attitudes towards adopting e-government services were positive. The study identified a number of factors that positively influenced the attitude of respondents regarding the adoption of e-government services. These factors were related to reforming bureaucracy, usefulness, eliminating the importance of connections (wasta), facilitating government-public communication, reducing gender differences, and including all people in society. However, negative attitudes identified towards adopting e-government services related to fears and concerns about issues of technology, such as privacy and security. Other issues were related to lack of awareness, increasing unemployment rates, lack of faith in government, the belief that face-to-face interaction would add value to dealings with government, and most importantly, lack of capacity building. The evaluation of the Kuwait e-government website, as supplemental information, also identified a number of strengths and weaknesses that contributed to an increase or decrease in the potential adoption of e-government services. All adoption findings identified in this study were modelled through the use of a systemic approach which provided some insight into and understanding of the factors underlying the adoption of e-government services in developing countries. Based on the results and conclusions of the research, recommendations were made to officials responsible for the e-government project and ideas for further research were identified.

History

School

  • Science

Department

  • Information Science

Publisher

© Suha A. M. AlAwadhi

Publication date

2007

Notes

A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.

EThOS Persistent ID

uk.bl.ethos.571651

Language

  • en

Usage metrics

    Loughborough Theses

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC