E-Service Value Assessment of Trade and Industry Portal

Delivering high-quality services to citizens represents a fundamental commitment for government organizations globally. This research assesses user satisfaction levels with e-services provided by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), focusing specifically on its Online Trade Registration and Licensing System (OTRLS). Given that e-service value assessment remains an understudied domain, this study directly addresses a significant research gap. Employing a deductive research approach, hypotheses were derived from an extensive review of extant literature. A structured survey instrument was subsequently developed, and quantitative data were systematically collected from 327 active users of the OTRLS platform. Structural equation modeling (SEM) served as the primary statistical technique for model construction and comprehensive data analysis. The findings reveal statistically strong positive relationships among the four core constructs of the COBRA framework Cost, Opportunity, Benefit, and Risk Analysis validating its application in this context. This research confirms that the COBRA framework constitutes a robust and important approach for evaluating e-service success from the citizen’s perspective. Furthermore, the study critically evaluates the practical applicability and relevance of this model for assessing e-service value among users within developing countries, where unique challenges related to digital infrastructure and user behavior patterns exist. Ultimately, the outcomes provide empirically grounded insights with significant practical implications. These insights are crucial for informing Ethiopian government specifically MOTI policymakers seeking to strategically enhance the usability, accessibility, and overall effectiveness of the ministry’s e-services portal, thereby fostering greater citizen adoption and satisfaction.