Drivers of e-government use during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of Vietnam

Abstract

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted various systems that drove people to adapt to certain technologies, such as electronic government services, for daily survival and to meet social distancing requirements. Therefore, this study aims to determine the antecedents of e-government use based on prospect theory and modified unified theory of acceptance use of technology (UTAUT) during a pandemic.Design/methodology/approachConvenience sampling of 368 respondents from Vietnam was conducted, and questionnaires were distributed personally or by email. The data were analyzed following a two-stage structural equation modeling (SEM) using SPSS v23 and AMOS v23. The validity and reliability of the instrument were tested and ensured.FindingsResults show that perceived severity drives government support and social influence while perceived security drives government support, social influence and trust. Social influence enhances government support and trust, which both drives e-government use. Mediation analysis shows that government support mediates perceived the influence of perceived severity on e-government use.Practical implicationsThe integration of prospect theory and UTAUT brings into light what will drive the adoption of e-government in the context of Vietnam. Supporting mechanisms, such as security measures, trust-building, government support and social influence, will drive citizens to adapt to technologies provided by the government but would also rely on the perceived risks and benefits.Originality/valueThis study integrates prospect theory and a modified version of UTAUT to explain the drivers of e-government use. The results reveal that under uncertainties, government support is critical in driving the use of e-government for people to manage the daily lives for survival.

Students’ Online Learning Adoption during an Emergency Situation: Integrating the Self-Determination and Perceived Risk Theories

“…PR measures students' perception regarding the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, including six items revised by Nguyen and Borazon [44]. For example, "I find COVID-19 has a high infection rate.…”

“…Several prior studies using PRT to explore human behavior in pandemics have indicated that the situation's severity is the main factor contributing to protection motivation and the subsequent adoption of avoidance behavior. The negative effects of public relations are frequently highlighted in consumer behavior studies, such as in the context of travel [42], mobile financial services [43], and e-government [44]. In the context of online learning, Doan [14] has also indicated that PR fosters students' online learning intentions because school attendance puts students in direct contact with many people, which increases their chances of contracting COVID-19.…”

“…In simpler terms, the results indicate that the factor with the highest variance (36.17%) does not take the majority of the variance. As a result, variances associated with measurement error do not compromise the validity of the study's findings [44]. Finally, SMARTPLS 3.2.2 software was employed to test PLS-SEM.…”

Determinants of Intention towards Digital Transformation Adoption: Evidence from Vietnam’s Public Sector

“…GS is also considered a form of OS at a higher organisational level, and this support similarly promotes and enhances users' intention toward technology adoption (Hutahaean et al, 2023;Nguyen & Borazon, 2022;Stephan et al, 2015). Therefore, its effect mechanism on users' intention towards new technology adoption may also be explained by the OST.…”

“…Therefore, its effect mechanism on users' intention towards new technology adoption may also be explained by the OST. GS in Vietnam was employed to evaluate policies, regulations, and supports of the Vietnamese government, which influenced and increased the number of users and determined whether or not these regulations affected their new technology adoption (Nguyen & Borazon, 2022). When laws, policies, and regulations are obligatory in a legal environment, everyone is required to abide by them.…”