‘Not what we want’: Why do (not) citizens use e-government services? Evidence from St. Petersburg, Russia

Why do citizens choose not to use e-government services even if the latter look promising? This issue has been in question for more than two decades and it is especially acute in developing countries. Current research is mostly focused on adoption factors using quantitative metrics and surveys to assess citizens’ satisfaction and further e-services adoption. In this paper we argue that using qualitative approach to assess citizens’ willingness to utilize e-services is required. Using previously developed models and empirical evidence found in both methodological approaches, we construct a simple framework to assess why citizens are reluctant to use the services provided by the government. To do so, we conducted 3 focus groups in St. Petersburg, Russia, with 6 to 7 people, totaling 20 surveyed citizens. We establish that while previously discovered factors also confirm themselves in our setting, it is the discrepancies between what the government thinks the citizens need against what they actually want to see in e-services. Thus, as other authors argue, we advise practitioners to facilitate more stakeholder participation when the services are designed to ensure they fit their demands.