The effect of institutional factors on passport services digitalisation in an emerging country. A structurational model of technology perspective

This study, from an interpretivist paradigm, examines how the digitalisation of government passport services was carried out and identifies the key enablers and constraints that affected its successful implementation. Using the structurational model of technology (SMoT) as the research framework, qualitative data were collected from major actors involved in the digitalisation of Ghana's passport services. The case was analysed using hermeneutics and the concepts of the refined SMoT. The study found that digitalisation of government services improves revenue collection, increases monitoring, and promotes transparent disbursement of government funds and other resources, as well as reduces corruption. It also found that a deeply ingrained paper-based culture hinders monitoring, control, evaluation, and accountability in the public sector of an emerging country. This study is one of the first to provide insights into the enablers and constraints of digitalising a major government service, passport services, in a developing economy context.