Building Trust in E-Government Adoption through an Intermediary Channel

Abstract

E-government has become an essential strategy for many governments in their efforts to increase accessibility and facilitate improved diffusion of public sector services. However, citizens’ adoption of online public services has been obstructed by factors such as, digital divide, accessibility, and trust. This study examines the influencing role that intermediaries can play in helping to facilitate the adoption of electronic government services. A case study is undertaken in Medinah City to explore how third party intermediary organisations can help in building trust, reduce digital divide and improve accessibility of public services to citizens. While the literature highlights extensively the challenges of e-government adoption and diffusion, the results of this exploratory study demonstrate that intermediaries can play a significant role in overcoming these potential challenges.