eGovernment in Malta : analysis of its current functionality and public perceptions

Abstract

The primary objectives of this research are to analyse the current scope, purpose and applications of e-Government in Malta and to appraise public perception of these services. Furthermore, the dissertation will analyse the concept of eGovernment in depth and understand how this new method of governing is conducted. The dissertation will also examine and determine whether eGovernment facilitates the reduction in bureaucracy and corruption within government departments, hence whether eGovernment contributes towards a democratic society. The research methodology is based on an extensive literature review and the application of a quantitative method through the administration of a questionnaire. The survey assesses the perceptions of the respondents regarding various eGovernment website quality dimensions. These dimensions include: frequency of use; user friendliness; extent of technical difficulty; ease of content accessibility; content quality; graphical presentation; service level; logical structure; accountability for information presented; website orientation; and user satisfaction. The analysis consists of various descriptive statistics regarding the various quality dimensions in relation to the demographic details of gender, age group, occupation and service used. Furthermore, correlations between the various variables are examined to determine the magnitude and direction of the relationship between the dominant variables. A comparative country analysis is also conducted to determine the strengths and weaknesses, and relative position of Malta in relation to other countries with the aim of identifying areas in eGovernment services that need improvement.