Paper Number

ECIS2026-2083

Paper Type

SP

Abstract

This study investigates how e-government development can both promote and hinder social inclusion. Drawing on the theory of technology affordances, we argue that e-government development advances two distinct forms of citizen affordance: information access and participation. Information access reflects citizens’ ability to retrieve public data, whereas participation reflects citizens’ ability to provide input that influences government decisions. Using panel data from 121 countries from 2012 to 2022, our empirical results show that e-government development strengthens information access affordance, which paradoxically hinders social inclusion. Meanwhile, e-government development enhances participation affordance, which promotes social inclusion. This dual-path mediation model enriches our understanding of how e-government development shapes societal outcomes and underscores its simultaneous opposing effects.

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Jun 14th, 12:00 AM

E-Government and Social Inclusion: A Double-Edged Sword?

This study investigates how e-government development can both promote and hinder social inclusion. Drawing on the theory of technology affordances, we argue that e-government development advances two distinct forms of citizen affordance: information access and participation. Information access reflects citizens’ ability to retrieve public data, whereas participation reflects citizens’ ability to provide input that influences government decisions. Using panel data from 121 countries from 2012 to 2022, our empirical results show that e-government development strengthens information access affordance, which paradoxically hinders social inclusion. Meanwhile, e-government development enhances participation affordance, which promotes social inclusion. This dual-path mediation model enriches our understanding of how e-government development shapes societal outcomes and underscores its simultaneous opposing effects.

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