A longitudinal study on the diffusion and the divide in the use of e-government services among vulnerable citizens in Korea

Abstract

Previous research on demand-side e-government has not adequately examined the utilization of specific e-government services by different citizen groups, particularly digitally vulnerable ones, via both websites and mobile platforms. This lack of understanding has generated to a limited knowledge base regarding the usage of these services. Furthermore, there is a dearth of longitudinal research in this area, further impeding our understanding of the topic. This study aims to analyze the diffusion and the divide in citizens' use of e-government services over time. Using the repeated cross-sectional survey data (2012−2021) of the Korean citizens' use of the web-based and mobile e-government services, we found that citizens' use of e-government services has generally increased over the past 10 years, with information transaction services (e.g. Gov24) being the most widely used, followed by financial transaction services (e.g. Hometax). However, the speed of e-participation services (e.g. E-people) diffusion and its usage rate over time is much slower and lower than other types of e-government services. Web-based and mobile e-government services have been showing similar trends of change. The usage rate of web-based e-government services, however, has been slightly higher than that of mobile e-government services. The divide in the usage of e-government services for digitally vulnerable groups has been generally decreasing. However, the usage gap of e-participation services is very sensitive to the yearly changes due to its low usage rate, making the pattern of the usage gap change irregularly. Lastly, the divide caused by intersectionality factors such as the elderly with low incomes is far more serious than those caused by single factors. The study's findings emphasize the importance for digital government leaders and managers to focus on citizens' use of e-government services, considering factors such as service type, user group, and platform. This attention is crucial in promoting digital inclusion and equity, ultimately addressing the issue of the divide in the use of e-government services.