Understanding value of digital service delivery by governments in Mexico

Abstract

Over the years, governments have leveraged various technologies to streamline internal operations for greater efficiency and to create value through digitally delivered public services (i.e., digital services) for several stakeholders, including citizens. While prior studies have contributed to understanding the institutional and organizational determinants of government digital services, much less is known about their utilization and the actual public value they generate from the perspective of the citizen, particularly in developing countries. Some research on technology, economic, and other social divides even suggests that both the use and value of digital services are potentially limited. In this paper, we apply the Delone and McLean model, a well-established information systems theory, to examine citizens' use of government digital services and their perceptions of public value derived from such use. Based on data from a comprehensive national phone survey across 32 Mexican States with 4300 respondents, our structural equation modeling reveals that system quality is the most significant predictor of use and user satisfaction with digital services. Furthermore, use and user satisfaction lead to public value as measured by the conveniences, flexibilities, and process simplifications the system affords. Our study contributes to digital government literature by using the concept of public value as a measure of digital government services' impact and success from the perspective of the citizens.