A case study investigation of e-Government adoption using an open source software-based web portal in developing countries: The case study of e-Liberia

Since its arrival, Electronic Government or e-Government has brought a significant transformation in the way the governments deliver services and information to the public. There are several aspects involved in this transformation: redesigned processes that give way to efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, accountability and quality, access to governments services and information on a 24/7/365 basis from any place at any time, convenience and reduced cost for services to the benefit of the public, and the provision of a medium that allows the public to participate in matters affecting their country simply through the use of any Internet connected device. The benefits of e-Government do not only impact developed countries, they also impact developing countries, especially those emerging from crises such as civil wars, military coups, economic upheavals, or health related crises. While the benefits have been identified, acceptance has been a challenge, thus making implementation of e-Government a failed initiative. This study was a qualitative research effort that took an empirical look at the factors that enhance or inhibit e-Government adoption using open source software based an ePortal project in a post-war developing country. The focus was on the Republic of Liberia as the case study. The study answered the key research question that a useful and easy to use e-Government ePortal can positively impact e-Government adoption. It uses a one-stop government web portal intended to provide services to citizens, residents, businesses, and other government entities to test user adoption of e-Government. A qualitative approach to collect data through interviews and focus group discussions was also used in this study. Findings from the study provided additional support for the constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model, Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness that can impact user acceptance of e-Government in a post-war developing country. The study also reveals that there are other constructs that enhance and inhibit user acceptance of e-Government, including user awareness, access to services, security of the services, and incentives to use e-services. Other findings of the study revealed that the use of open source software for the delivery of e-services does not have any significant impact on the user adoption of e-Government from the front side of the portal but rather on the backend. The findings from this study can guide policy makers, practitioners, e-Government designers, economic development advocates or proponents, and ICT professionals in their implementation of e-Government in a post-war developing country. In addition, the findings will add to the body of knowledge by providing insight into those factors that affect technology adoption in e-Government.