Drivers of e-government use during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of Vietnam
ISSN: 1468-4527
Article publication date: 4 November 2022
Issue publication date: 29 August 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted various systems that drove people to adapt to certain technologies, such as electronic government services, for daily survival and to meet social distancing requirements. Therefore, this study aims to determine the antecedents of e-government use based on prospect theory and modified unified theory of acceptance use of technology (UTAUT) during a pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
Convenience sampling of 368 respondents from Vietnam was conducted, and questionnaires were distributed personally or by email. The data were analyzed following a two-stage structural equation modeling (SEM) using SPSS v23 and AMOS v23. The validity and reliability of the instrument were tested and ensured.
Findings
Results show that perceived severity drives government support and social influence while perceived security drives government support, social influence and trust. Social influence enhances government support and trust, which both drives e-government use. Mediation analysis shows that government support mediates perceived the influence of perceived severity on e-government use.
Practical implications
The integration of prospect theory and UTAUT brings into light what will drive the adoption of e-government in the context of Vietnam. Supporting mechanisms, such as security measures, trust-building, government support and social influence, will drive citizens to adapt to technologies provided by the government but would also rely on the perceived risks and benefits.
Originality/value
This study integrates prospect theory and a modified version of UTAUT to explain the drivers of e-government use. The results reveal that under uncertainties, government support is critical in driving the use of e-government for people to manage the daily lives for survival.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors’ thanks go to the experts who provided advice on the questionnaire’s content and translation, and the authors would like to thank friends and colleagues (Mr. Nguyen Tan Hai and Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Nga) for the assistance in conducting the survey and collecting data.
Citation
Nguyen, H.T. and Borazon, E.Q. (2023), "Drivers of e-government use during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of Vietnam", Online Information Review, Vol. 47 No. 5, pp. 838-861. https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-08-2021-0440
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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