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E‐government and citizen‐state relations: Evidence from a randomized information campaign with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service.

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Title: E‐government and citizen‐state relations: Evidence from a randomized information campaign with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service.
Authors: Ziaja, Sebastian1 (AUTHOR) sebastian.ziaja@gesis.org, Geray, Markus2 (AUTHOR), Sebudubudu, David3 (AUTHOR), von Schiller, Armin4 (AUTHOR)
Source: Governance. Apr2025, Vol. 38 Issue 2, p1-21. 21p.
Subject Terms: *GOVERNMENT accountability, *PUBLIC opinion, *TEXT messages, *GOVERNMENT agencies, *PUBLIC service advertising, *PUBLIC sector, INTERNET in public administration, POLITICAL participation
Abstract: E‐government services are often heralded as a silver bullet for governments willing to engage more meaningfully with citizens. Evidence on the effectiveness of these measures for improving citizen‐state relations is scarce, however. Most studies examining e‐government focus on efficiency considerations; few consider potential effects on citizen‐state relations. The present study analyses the effect of an information treatment about the availability of e‐government services on citizen perceptions of government responsiveness. We conducted an experiment in cooperation with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service that randomly assigned registered taxpayers to receive a short message on their mobile phones. Our results indicate that the treatment has a significant, positive effect on the perception that the government addresses citizen needs, and more so for respondents with lower income. The findings suggest that, by affecting how citizens assess political realities, e‐government can play an important role in shaping citizen‐state relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Business Source Index
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Abstract:E‐government services are often heralded as a silver bullet for governments willing to engage more meaningfully with citizens. Evidence on the effectiveness of these measures for improving citizen‐state relations is scarce, however. Most studies examining e‐government focus on efficiency considerations; few consider potential effects on citizen‐state relations. The present study analyses the effect of an information treatment about the availability of e‐government services on citizen perceptions of government responsiveness. We conducted an experiment in cooperation with the Botswana Unified Revenue Service that randomly assigned registered taxpayers to receive a short message on their mobile phones. Our results indicate that the treatment has a significant, positive effect on the perception that the government addresses citizen needs, and more so for respondents with lower income. The findings suggest that, by affecting how citizens assess political realities, e‐government can play an important role in shaping citizen‐state relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:09521895
DOI:10.1111/gove.12893