As in the business industry, advancement in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has revolutionized how governments deliver services to the citizenry. Governmental bodies have also adopted various modes of electronic platforms to build internal efficiency, deliver services and build relationships with citizens, businesses and other/inter-government bodies. This government use of technology is known as electronic government (e-government). Chen et al. (2009) defined e-government as the use of IT by governmental institutions to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery and in meeting citizens’ needs. The importance of e-government as a platform to develop people’s social life and create knowledgeable society has been recognized by Governments all over the world (Quataishat, 2013), and as such governments have invested in e-government development as technology advances. E-government implementation started with the use of web-based applications, but recently, government bodies have also begun to take advantage of the ubiquitous nature of mobile devices to provide services to citizens by implementing mobile apps. Government institutions, like other service industries, such as the banking industry, are deploying mobile applications (mobile apps) to provide information and services to the people.
Prior research has ascertained that e-government is not just about technology; technology is an enabler, not a solution, to meeting citizens’ need. That government deploys electronic means to deliver services does not mean that government employees and citizens are going to use it (Quataishat, 2013; AlMahamid et al., 2010) or be satisfied with the services provided on the electronic platforms. Studies have shown that citizens’ intention to use e-government services factors dominantly into the success of e-government (Rehman et al., 2012; Khan & Ahmed, 2015). According to Carter and Belanger (2005), adoption of government electronic services by users is dependent on its human, social, cultural and organizational factors. Sayin and Okursoy (2013), on the other hand, opined that the most important drive to improve e-government services is to deliver better services to the citizens.
Most studies on e-government service delivery investigate web-based e-government applications (Quataishat, 2013; Cilingir & Kushchu, 2004) and SMS applications (Susanto and Godwin, 2010). Researchers have not given due attention to the emerging trend of governments’ deployment of mobile apps and its citizens’ usage. Understanding users’ satisfaction and usage of mobile apps is important because mobile apps possess their own unique characteristics. Mobile apps are usually pre-loaded, sometimes require updates, and operate on pay-per-use services. Research efforts have not made in-depth attempts to investigate the constructs of m-government service and its various dimensions. This is important because users’ perception of context-bound concepts can vary from one domain to another (Parasuraman et al., 2005; Yang & Fang, 2004; Cronin & Taylor, 1992).
This exploratory research seeks to extend the body of knowledge relating to technology adoption and usage by uncovering what factors influence the adoption of m-government services and its dimensions. The following research questions will be addressed: What are the key characteristics of mobile m-government applications that influence users’ adoption and usage? What can be recommended to improve m-government services and users’ satisfaction with these services? To address these research questions, this research carried out systematic content analysis of 1520 reviews of 63 mobile apps offered by 10 United State government agencies.