Adoption of e-government: a study on the role of trust

Abstract This study analyzed the influence of trust and trustworthiness on the intention to adopt and use e-government services. A structural model was proposed, considering the relationship among Ability, Benevolence, Integrity, Perceived Risk, Trust of the Government, Trust of the Internet and Disposition to Trust. The model was tested through structural equation modeling (partial least square method). An online questionnaire was applied, including 36 items for all the constructs presented in the model, and measured with 11-point Likert scales. After the first round of analysis, an alternative model was proposed with a better fit. Results indicated that: 1) Ability, Benevolence, and Integrity, together, positively influence Trust of the Government; 2) Trust of the Government and Trust of the Internet positively influence Trust in e-Government; 3) Trust in e-Government negatively influences Perceived Risk and positively influences Intention to Use and; 5) Perceived Risk negatively influences Intention to Use. Considering the results of this research, as government agencies increase their expenditure to implement and maintain e-gov initiatives, they must recognize and deal with trust-related issues.