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Cultural Drivers and Barriers to the Adoption of E-government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Alsowoyegh, Ghada Abdulaziz

[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of Manchester; 2012.

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Abstract

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is dedicated to implementing technology within the country and E-government is one of these technologies. However, although significant investment has been made, there has been little progress in this area. The purpose of this study is to identify the key cultural drivers and barriers that are influencing the progress of e-government, by understanding employees’ perceptions and acceptance of the phenomenon. The aim, therefore, is to identify the major cultural aspects that are currently influencing the adoption and implementation of e-government in the public sector in the KSA, as reflected in the behaviour and attitudes of government employees involved in the e-government service delivery.For the research design framework model I examined and analyzed earlier studies to provide an appropriate framework for e-government adoption in the public sector in the KSA. This framework could be valuable in guiding the policy makers and the government in recognizing the proper requirements on a cultural level for e-government adoption in the public sector. The proposed framework highlights and identifies some of the cultural aspects that could drive and hinder the process of adoption. Furthermore, the research method in this research adopts a qualitative approach by conducting three case studies in three public organizations in the KSA. In-depth interviews were conducted to gather primary data from thirty-two employees. The data collection took around three to four months to complete in the field. The research reveals that culture has a significant influence on employees when dealing with e-government implementation in the public sector. In addition, the research encountered several limitations in that I conducted, a female from Saudi Arabia living and working in a conservative Arab culture, who carried out in-depth interviews with male employees in three public sectors. This resulted in a number of exacting challenges which had to be faced. The value and originality of this research is illustrated in the method I chose to employ. Adopting a qualitative research methodology involved me in conducting in-depth interviews with employees. As a female Arab, it was inevitable that I would have to undergo a difficult and complex journey to gather the required data. The nature of the country’s conservative society played a role in this aspect. However, this is part of the culture and fabric of the country, and culture is the essence of this research. Hence, this research study offers an insight into the experiences I encountered in employing this qualitative research study.