This study investigated how privacy, security, trust, risk and optimism bias factors are affecting citizens' perceptions and decisions to use e-government systems in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The keyword 'perceived' prefixed on each construct (e.g. perceived security) refers to both citizens' perceptions and actual experience. The results of this study would be significant to practitioners, decision-makers and policymakers who seek to strengthen the G2C relationships in developing countries.This article is structured as follows: firstly, the theoretical underpinnings are laid out for the study. Then the research model and hypotheses followed by the research methodology are presented. The findings of the empirical study are then presented and discussed. Theoretical underpinningsThe complex nature of the G2C phenomenon requires multiple models to help interpret the data collected. This study draws from several models: the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education cybersecurity capability maturity models (NICE-CMM) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (NIST 2018; US Department of Background: Many Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries are adopting and implementing e-government systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their service delivery systems, and Zimbabwe and Zambia are not an exception. However, scholars have noted that the acceptance and utilisation of e-government systems by citizens in Zimbabwe and Zambia is affected by many factors, among others, perceived privacy, perceived security, perceived trust, perceived risk and optimism bias. Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of privacy, security, trust, optimism bias and perceived risk on citizens' use behaviour of e-government systems in the SADC.Method: This study proposes an e-government utilisation model. A quantitative design was employed to collect data from a survey of 489 e-government users in Zambia and Zimbabwe to test the model fit using structural equation modelling.Results: Perceived lack of privacy, security, trust; perceived risk and optimism bias were all confirmed as salient factors affecting the utilisation of e-government systems by citizens in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The structural equation model results confirmed the model fit of the proposed e-government research model. All eight hypotheses for this study were confirmed. Conclusion:The findings of this study provide pointers to practitioners, decision-makers and policymakers on e-government matters on the need to seriously consider privacy, security, risk and trust issues of e-government systems to encourage the utilisation of such systems by citizens.

Many governmental organisations across the world are progressively implementing electronic government systems to enhance their back-office operations and offer better and efficient services to citizens. Zimbabwe is not an exception to this e-government wave. Previous studies note that the acceptance and utilisation of e-government systems by citizens in Zimbabwe remains suboptimal, sluggish and problematic due to several factors. This study sought to establish the effect of seven predictor variables on citizens’ behavioural intentions to use e-government systems in Zimbabwe. Drawing from the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM2), extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), Framework for National and Donor Action, and e-Government Trust model as theoretical underpinnings, this study proposed a conceptual framework to predict citizens’ behavioural intentions on e-government. Survey data for testing the conceptual framework were collected from 247 respondents in Zimbabwe using structured questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis using IBM AMOS structural equation modelling method was conducted to establish the structural model fit of the proposed model. Findings of this study establish that eight of the hypothesised constructs explain 89% of the discrepancies of behavioural intention to demonstrate good predictive power of the proposed model in voluntary environments. Thus, level of education, facilitating conditions, e-government awareness, price value; privacy, security and trust; political self-efficacy and influence were all confirmed as salient predictors of e-government adoption. These findings provide invaluable insights and pointers to practitioners and policy-makers on e-government implementation and may guide further research on e-government adoption in voluntary environments.

AUTHORS Willard Munyoka Manoj Maharaj ARTICLE INFOWillard Munyoka and Manoj Maharaj (2017). The effect of UTAUT2 moderator factors on citizens' intention to adopt e-government: the case of two SADC countries Abstract E-government is widely believed to play a significant role in improving the public service delivery system in developing countries. Yet, its adoption and utilization amongst citizens remain a subject of concern amongst government policy makers. This study aims to investigate moderating factors that influence citizens' decisions to adopt and utilize e-government services in the SADC region. The study adopts the extended UTAUT2 model as a theoretical underpinning, backed by recent literature on e-government adoption to advance and test an e-government adoption model. Empirical quantitative data for validating the proposed model was collected from 247 participants using self-administered questionnaires.In analyzing the empirical data, five moderating demographic factors affecting citizens' behavioral intention to adopt egovernment services were tested and confirmed. The study found that only four moderating factors (age, level of education, the location of residence, and vernacular language) positively influenced citizens' intention to adopt e-government. The study concludes by drawing attention to insights on moderating factors affecting e-government adoption, thereby casting more light to success factors and gray areas for failed adoption.

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