The use and misuse of metaphors in e-government studies

Metaphors explain relatively unknown, abstract, or complicated concepts by employing relatively better-known, concrete, and simple ones. Since e-government is a complex and multi-faceted phenomenon, many metaphors are used to understand and explain what e-government is and how it evolves. However, metaphors used in e-government studies and their functions have not been systematically examined in detail. Bridging this gap in the literature is necessary and important because metaphors serve specific communication functions between e-government experts and the general public, as well as among e-government scholars with diverse disciplinary backgrounds. This article examines the use of explicitly-used metaphors in e-government literature. To this end, we first identify different metaphors through a systematic review of the literature. Then, the reasons for, functions of, and benefits and risks associated with metaphor use in e-government studies are analyzed. The findings uncovered five types of metaphors (illumination, dimming, simplification, translation, and manipulation) in e-government studies. The findings reveal that metaphors can help scholars create a shared language among themselves and ease the communication of complex ideas to the general public. For practitioners, different metaphors can provide insights into e-government and help translate implicit knowledge into explicit. However, caution is necessary to avoid manipulative uses of metaphors that could lead to miscommunication and resource inefficiencies. Ultimately, the success of a metaphor hinges on its ability to effectively communicate concepts in various contexts, highlighting the importance of careful and context-sensitive usage in communication. The final section offers suggestions for further research, including examining the outcomes and impacts of metaphor use in various settings.