Applying fuzzy logic to balanced scorecard for the performance evaluation of government e-services

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the performance of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government e-services by using the fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methodology, integrating insights from the balanced scorecard (BSC) framework across financial, customer, internal business and learning and growth perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the fuzzy TOPSIS method, this paper evaluate three e-services in the UAE against 12 criteria representing the balanced scorecard perspectives. Expert evaluation and sensitivity analysis are used to identify the most sustainable e-service alternative.

Findings

The study findings emphasize the importance of prioritizing customer-centric metrics, improving service reliability and efficiency, and investing in employee training to enhance e-government service performance in the UAE. Sensitivity analysis reinforces the robustness of our results and identifies key criteria influencing decision-making.

Research limitations/implications

The data was collected only from experts in selected UAE Government departments. This may affect the generalization of the findings. Also, only three e-services were evaluated. Future studies could include various e-services not covered in this study and use different multi-criteria decision-making methods.

Practical implications

Prioritizing customer satisfaction: Priority should be given to customer satisfaction as it is a critical factor in evaluating e-services because of its importance. It also highlights the importance of considering user feedback and ensuring that e-services have a high level of friendliness and responsiveness to their needs. It follows that minimizing errors and ensuring quick and efficient transactions are crucial. Emphasizing reliability and transaction efficiency: Reliable services and transaction efficiency are also essential criteria for evaluating e-government services. This suggests that e-government services should be designed to minimize errors and ensure that transactions are completed quickly and efficiently. Managing IT costs: To deliver e-government services affordably, effective IT cost management is crucial. This emphasizes how crucial it is to effectively manage IT costs to guarantee the efficient delivery of e-government services.

Social implications

From a customer perspective, adopting BSC can create a favorable customer attitude, encourage long-term customer support, and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. These factors have significant social implications for UAE and expatriate individuals who are using such e-government services.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by showcasing the applicability of the fuzzy TOPSIS methodology in evaluating UAE e-government service performance. By examining multiple perspectives of the BSC, this paper provide valuable insights into enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of e-services in the UAE Government sector.

Citation

Sohaib, O., Arman, A., Begum, V. and Arshi, T. (2024), "Applying fuzzy logic to balanced scorecard for the performance evaluation of government e-services", Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-06-2023-0096