Utilization of E-Government Services: A Replication

This study replicates Carter and Bélanger’s (2005) study of the utilization of e-government services. Almost two decades have passed since the paper was published. In the interim, e-government services have become increasingly popular in the United States (U.S.). Electronic access was the only choice for accessing some e-government services during the quarantine times of the COVID-19 shutdown. The extensive developments in technology may change citizens’ intention to use e-government services, as well as factors that affect those intentions. Further, Carter and Bélanger (2005) only studied citizens from a single U.S. state. These changes in context, as well as the original geographic limitation, warrant a replication of their study. We conducted a methodological replication based on data from a survey of citizens throughout the U.S. We used the original survey scales as they were related to the context of a common e-government domain, motor vehicle-related services. Our results confirm the original study’s findings with respect to perceived ease of use, image, compatibility, and trustworthiness. However, our model found a relative advantage to be a significant predictor of use intentions, while the original study did not. To test the robustness of Carter and Bélanger’s model, we tested alternate conceptualizations using a different statistical method. Overall, our results indicate that the original study’s findings largely hold, but that alternate conceptualizations may also be viable. Our findings hold implications for future research and practice.