Citizens’ Involvement in E-Government in the European Union: The Rising Importance of the Digital Skills

Citizen attitudes towards e-government services during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case in Türkiye

E-government services are essential to societies because they save time, reduce corruption, provide efficient, low-cost, and fast service, increase transparency, and enhance trust in the government. These applications save time, which translates to cost savings by reducing bureaucratic crowds and fatigue and eliminating the need for citizens to travel for offline transactions. This study investigates various factors related to citizens' use of e-government services according to gender differences during and before COVID-19. The microdata set from the Survey on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Usage in Households conducted by TURKSTAT in 2018 and 2021 was used. Additionally, the binary logistic regression method was employed to analyze these factors. According to the research results, it has been determined that variables such as age, education level, occupation, e-commerce use, internet financial transaction status, number of people in the household, and region are associated with women's use of e-government services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that the significance and impact of these variables on the use of e-government services differ based on the gender of individuals and the periods. The study provides recommendations for IT professionals, staff of the interior ministries, and researchers interested in increasing the use of e-government services. This research may also pioneer efforts to identify priority areas for expanding e-government services.

Blockchain for Governments: The Case of the Dubai Government

Blockchain technology is an innovative technology with the potential of transforming cities by augmenting the building of resilient societies and enabling the emergence of more transparent and accountable governments. To understand the capabilities of blockchain, as well as its impact on the public sector, this study conducted a review of blockchain technology and its implementations by various governments around the globe. E-government evolution is analyzed, based on empirical evidence from a Dubai government entity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has utilized blockchain technology for developing end-user services, relevant to the public sector. Benefits achieved and challenges to overcome in such blockchain-based pilot deployments are discussed. The findings of this study offer new insights for practitioners involved in bringing in innovations for the benefit of society, using blockchain technology. Furthermore, it provides insights into policy actions to be developed to address the future challenges and to improve already existing e-government policies. The results of this research will benefit all blockchain-based pilot deployments by providing guidance and knowledge on this immature yet developing technology.