Linking e-government development and quality of governance to trust in government: evidence from OECD member countries

Abstract

Purpose

The association between e-government and trust in government has been extensively examined, even though empirical works have returned conflicting conclusions about this association. This study aims to revisit the relationship between e-government and trust in government using macrolevel data from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries. It also addresses whether or not e-government should contribute to the quality of governance to improve trust in government.

Design/methodology/approach

Archival data from 36 OECD members over five years (2012–2015) were used to achieve the study objectives.

Findings

Results indicate that e-government does not directly affect trust in government, although there is an indirect association.

Originality/value

This implies that e-government systems will not significantly impact trust in government unless they contribute to the quality of governance that offers a basis for granting trust in government. Accordingly, value creation, including trust, should be considered during the design of e-government systems to achieve the desired outcomes.

Citation

Alsaad, A., Alkhawaldeh, A., Elrehail, H. and Almomani, R. (2024), "Linking e-government development and quality of governance to trust in government: evidence from OECD member countries", Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-03-2024-0060