Abstract
E-Government services offer a great deal of potential to improve government activities and citizen support. However, there is a lack of research covering E-Government services at the local government level, particularly in developing countries. However, implementing successful E-Service technology in this part of the world will not come without its barriers considering the unstable and fragile economies in most developing countries. The research aim is to identify the barriers facing E-Service adoption and implementation at a local environment level, using Nigeria as a case example.This thesis adopts an interpretive paradigm and uses action research. It consists of a large field study in Nigeria (interviews), an online survey of government officials, online focus groups, and analyses government documents and E-Service initiatives. A structured literature review method consisted of sifting through 3,245 papers. The main theoretical tools used in this thesis are the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory and the theory of change.
This thesis makes multiple contributions. The study found that the autonomy issue at the local environment level in Nigeria and corruption are the major barriers facing E-Service development. In mapping the applicability of these theories, this thesis developed a novel diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory-based E-Service framework consisting of an interactive process to investigate the barriers, solutions, and the success factors for successful implementation. In dealing with the corruption issues, this research proposed a theory of change model to investigate the attitudinal behaviours of E-Service development stakeholders towards corruption, including the long-term goals and outcomes. This model also suggests rewarding packages and human development to boost staff morale and necessary sanctions, as well as anti-corruption policies to guide against corruption-hindering E-Service development and implementation.
| Date of Award | Feb 2017 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
|
| Supervisor | Kate Dingley (Supervisor), Penny Hart (Supervisor) & Carl Adams (Supervisor) |