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Information Technology for Development

Author ORCID Identifier

Nasr G. Elbahnasawy: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2797-4943

Rouzbeh Razavi: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4357-4253

Abstract

The study investigates the role of e-participation in anti-corruption efforts, utilizing a large panel dataset and various linear and non-linear estimation techniques, including random and fixed effects, generalized method of moments, and Random Forest machine learning algorithms. The findings reveal that e-participation significantly reduces corruption, with this effect holding across all country-income groups. The largest impact is observed in lower-middle-income countries, while high-income nations experience diminishing returns beyond a higher threshold. The study also highlights the complementary relationship between e-participation and e-government, showing that the combined use of these digital tools strengthens anti-corruption efforts. E-information emerges as the most influential component, raising public awareness and enhancing transparency. Additionally, while early e-government adoption has minimal impact, its influence on reducing corruption strengthens over time, eventually surpasses that of e-participation. The results underscore the need for continuous innovation and institutional support to sustain the effectiveness of e-participation in combating corruption, especially in the face of evolving digital threats.

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