While the growth of business-to-consumer electronic commerce seems phenomenal in recent years, several studies suggest that a large number of individuals using the Internet have serious privacy concerns, and that winning public trust is the primary hurdle to continued growth in e-commerce. This research investigated the relative importance, when purchasing goods and services over the Web, of four common trust indices (i.e. (1) third party privacy seals, (2) privacy statements, (3) third party security seals, and (4) security features). The results indicate consumers valued security features significantly more than the three other trust indices. We also investigated the relationship between these trust indices and the consumer's perceptions of a marketer's trustworthiness. The findings indicate that consumers' ratings of trustworthiness of Web merchants did not parallel experts' evaluation of sites' use of the trust indices. This study also examined the extent to which consumers are willing to provide private information to electronic and land merchants. The results revealed that when making the decision to provide private information, consumers rely on their perceptions of trustworthiness irrespective of whether the merchant is electronic only or land and electronic. Finally, we investigated the relative importance of three types of Web attributes: security, privacy and pleasure features (convenience, ease of use, cosmetics). Privacy and security features were of lesser importance than pleasure features when considering consumers' intention to purchase. A discussion of the implications of these results and an agenda for future research are provided. q

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Purpose-The paper proposes a conceptual framework of the stages of electronic government that describes and integrates the unique relationship between the government and its varied constituents, and identifies and applies the global constraints that affect the implementation of e-government at each stage. Design/methodology/approach-Building on and expanding stages of e-government suggested in prior literature, a framework is designed to recognize that the five stages of e-government will have differing impacts when considering six different categories of constituents. In addition, the framework considers three global constraints superimposed on these stages and relationship; laws and regulations, technical feasibility, and user feasibility. The paper then provides an example of implementation of the framework by exploring the issue of privacy in electronic government. Findings-The relationships mapped the stages of e-government, affected by global motivators and constraints, are unique and complex. Policy and implementation of e-government should take account of these complexities. Privacy in e-government issues differs significantly when global motivators and constraints are viewed across the complex framework of government stages by constituency. Research limitations/implications-The relationships between constituents and stages of e-government, together with the global constraints, should be incorporated into the process of decision-making when government is considering the movement from one stage of e-government to another. The framework provides new lenses through which e-government implementation can be studied by researchers. Practical implications-The framework can be used to guide planning and decision-making for electronic government and aid in the identification of issues unique to each stage and constituency. Originality/value-The use of framework allows researchers and practitioners to identify issues that may not be highlighted in a general discussion of e-government that does not take into account the complexities of the e-government environment.