Journal of Business & Financial Affairs

Role of National Culture on the Use of e-Government Services in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Ranaweera HMBP

The role of national culture on the use of e-government services in Sri Lanka is explored in this study employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework. The national culture was added to TAM as an external variable and extended model is tested via a survey of 898 Sri Lankan e-government service users. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized as analysis technique and results of the structural analysis divulge that national culture makes influences positively on the use of e-government services. Besides, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of government websites also are influenced by national culture. Collectivism, Long term orientation and Uncertainty avoidance were the key contributing dimensions of culture in the Sri Lankan context. Nevertheless, these results suggest that TAM can be further extended by examining the nature of the e-government use and the national culture. Cultural traits should be considered in understanding the use of e-government services in Sri Lanka and the outcomes of this paper would be intrinsic worth for policy makers to pay more attention on national culture when investments are made to e-government initiatives.