Cultural Influence on e-Government Development

E-government development varies across countries. This study aims to examine the impact of national culture on e-government development across 78 countries. The dimensions of national culture are power distance, individualism, masculinity, long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance, and indulgence. The paper also examines the role of GDP per capita on e-government development. The result shows that individualism and long-term orientation are positively related to e-government development, whereas power distance is negatively related to e-government development. Also, GDP per capita is found to be significantly impacting e-government development. Multi-level interaction effect of GDP per capita and culture on e-government development is discussed. The paper outlines the implications of results and strategies to design culturally acceptable e-government policies. The paper argues that growth in economic prosperity cannot guarantee e-government development, and national culture must be included in a holistic discussion of the development.