A framework for evaluating citizens' continued intention to use public sector online services

Abstract

The increasing use of the Internet over recent years has forced governments and individuals to utilise Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in the form of electronic government (e-government), more specifically Public Sector Online Services (PSOS) as a subset of egovernment. However, the success of PSOS delivery is dependent on usage and on the growing concerns about the perceived information and service quality of PSOS and their influence on self-efficacy, satisfaction and personal outcome expectation towards ‘continuance intention’ to use the PSOS systems. Retaining current PSOS users is crucial to ensure better utilisation of ICT investments through a regulated process that considers citizens’ personal factors while using PSOS. If the level of PSOS quality is low, citizens are likely to revert to using traditional systems, leaving the new ICT systems underutilised. Few studies have investigated the influences of information and service quality on personal factors, such as self-efficacy, personal outcome expectation and satisfaction, towards intention to continuing to use PSOS. To fill this gap, the present study develops a PSOS quality model by associating it with citizens’ self-efficacy, satisfaction, personal outcome expectation, social influence, prior experience, and continuance intention. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the salient factors influencing citizens’ intention in the context of PSOS use. A research model of eight constructs is developed by integrating Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT), the DeLone and McLean IS success model, and E-S-QUAL. To validate the model, a quantitative-positivist approach methodology is used as the research paradigm; it employs a cross-sectional survey design as well as componentbased structural equation modelling (SEM) by using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) as the data analysis technique. In total, 471 self-administrated questionnaires were found usable for data analysis and 17 hypotheses were formulated and tested. Overall, the modelling demonstrates a good fit with the observed data. The findings show that prior experience, social influence, information quality and services quality are significant predictors of citizens’ intention to use PSOS if these latent constructs are regulated through selfefficacy. The results exhibit positive relationships with the other constructs in the model except social influence and information quality towards personal outcome expectation and satisfaction. Further, the results show that service quality is the most influential variable in the present model. This highlights the vital role of service quality while delivering PSOS. Theoretically, the present study extends the roles of pre-adoption and post-adoption by offering a self-regulating process through self-efficacy as a physical ability. Further, the study reveals the importance of personal outcome expectation (internal stimuli) as well as satisfaction (external stimuli) as cognitive factors that represent personal goal assessments. Practically, the current study offers managers a mechanism in how to deal with end-users on a continuance basis while delivering online service through short- and long-term strategies. In summary, the present study marks a significant contribution in better understanding the utilisation of egovernment systems and can serve to better self-regulate outcomes for both citizens and government. Keywords: electronic service, e-service, electronic government, eGovernment, e-government, service quality, information quality, social influence, self-efficacy, personal outcome expectation, satisfaction, continuance intention.