Date of Award

Summer 2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

School of Public Service

Committee Director

Meagan Jordan

Committee Member

Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf

Committee Member

Lan Cao

Abstract

This dissertation aims at explaining the difference in the degree of e-participation across countries using institution and technology variables. It further looks at how the factors differ in their influence across the three levels of e-information, e-consultation, and e-decision making. Institutional and technology variables are identified using the literature review of offline and online public participation (or e-participation). Using the policy feedback theory and Giddens’ structuration theory a conceptual model depicting the complex relationship between institutional and technology variables is developed. The dimensions of digital divide, namely ICT affordability and skills, are found to be the most important explanatory variables. However, the most significant finding of the current study is the role of institutions as the antecedent to technology resources for promoting e-participation. Previous cross-national studies have not looked at this relationship between the institution and technology variable. The results of data analysis inform that ICT affordability and skills in a country act as mediator for the institutions to promote e-participation. At the same time ICT skills and the political rights and civil liberties interact to generate a greater impact on e-participation than their solo effect. Although the magnitude of influence of previous e-participation score increases as one progresses to more complex e-participation levels, but its marginal effect reduces considerably at the advanced level of e-decision making.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/xzfh-5006

ISBN

9780438537231

ORCID

0000-0002-7347-3584

Share

COinS