Citizens and E-Government: An International Comparison of the Demand-Side of E-Government

Existing studies of e-government concentrate on the supply-side, focusing on the availability and level of sophistication of online services and usage. This study addresses the demand-side of e-government – not only usage, but also perceptions and barriers to utilisation that have not been treated previously. Indicators to measure acceptance and adoption of e-government were used to build a survey that was then piloted among members of the ‘general population’ in the 15 EU Member States, Switzerland and the US. A second survey was used to study 10 Accession States. The results of the surveys indicated a preference for online services that do not require users to provide a great deal of personal information. Reasons for preferring online services to their traditional counterparts include added convenience and increased efficiency. Attitudes toward e-government tended to vary by country, although reasons for this are not clear at this time.