Adoption of Blockchain E-Voting Service: Digital Literacy as a Mediating Mechanism

Abstract

Blockchain has become a promising technology with huge benefits; nevertheless, its adoption intention has been scarce across different organizations, especially in government-to-citizens service (e.g., blockchain-based e-voting). Therefore, we aim to investigate how blockchain can affect citizens' adoption intention to use blockchain-based e-voting service. We study blockchain adoption intention by employing UTAUT2 as a theoretical base and the Replacement-Amplification-Transformation (R.A.T) technology integration model to study digital literacy as a mediating mechanism in our study model due to its significance in the contemporary business world. On the method side, we obtained 315 valid responses that we utilized to conduct a PLS-SEM-based analysis. Our findings state that digital literacy positively mediates the relationship between five determinants of UTAUT2 (e.g., facilitating conditions, social influence, hedonic motivation, habit, and price value) and citizens' intention to adopt blockchain e-voting service for casting their votes in elections. This study is among the first to examine the mediating mechanism of digital literacy between UTAUT2 factors and citizens' intention to adopt blockchain e-voting service. It is also worthwhile to quote that our study is a pioneer in extending the UTAUT2 model in the context of blockchain e-voting service. Lastly, we communicate the study's theoretical and practical implications to enrich both knowledge and industry.