Sushant Kumar, Kuldeep Baishya, Pradip H Sadarangani, Harsh V Samalia

Cultural Influence on e‑Government Development

Introduction

Cultural influence on e‑government development. Explore how national culture (individualism, power distance) and GDP per capita influence e-government development across 78 countries. Gain insights into policy implications.

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.

Review

This study, titled "Cultural Influence on e‑Government Development," addresses a highly pertinent and critical question regarding the diverse trajectories of e-government adoption and success across nations. The research sets out to systematically examine the intricate relationship between national culture, defined by six dimensions from Hofstede's framework, and e-government development across an impressive sample of 78 countries. By also integrating GDP per capita into its analysis, the paper positions itself to offer a more nuanced understanding that transcends purely economic determinants, which is a commendable and necessary approach in this field. Methodologically, the study's strength lies in its extensive cross-national comparative design, encompassing a large number of countries, which lends significant weight to the generalizability of its findings. The results reveal several key insights: individualism and long-term orientation positively correlate with e-government development, while power distance exhibits a negative relationship. Furthermore, the significant impact of GDP per capita is confirmed, and the paper promises a discussion of multi-level interaction effects between GDP and culture, suggesting a sophisticated analytical framework. The core finding that economic prosperity alone is insufficient to guarantee e-government development strongly underscores the central thesis about the enduring importance of national culture. The paper makes valuable contributions on both practical and theoretical fronts. Practically, it aims to provide actionable "strategies to design culturally acceptable e-government policies," which is crucial for practitioners and policymakers striving for more effective digital governance initiatives. Theoretically, by arguing for the inclusion of national culture in a "holistic discussion of the development," the study significantly enriches the e-government literature, moving beyond techno-economic determinism. This research thus appears to offer a robust and timely examination, providing a critical perspective on how cultural contexts shape the evolution and efficacy of e-government initiatives worldwide.

Full Text

Comments

You need to be logged in to post a comment.