A periodical analysis of e-government maturity in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Purpose Governments of the developing countries must be ready to embrace the evolution of information technology. However, the growth in demand for online services and expectations for convenient access to government resources are placing governments under pressure to deliver outstanding e-services. Despite the successful attempts of the Saudi Government to deliver e-government services, the literature still needs to be advanced with evidence to demonstrate the current status of government websites. Additionally, the growth of e-government services should be periodically monitored and evaluated. Design/methodology/approach This study aims to revisit e-government websites previously surveyed (2006-2012). in Saudi Arabia and examine growth based on the five-stage maturity model. This study supports the approach with a review of the United Nations data and links this assessment with the five-stage maturity model. Findings The results revealed remarkable improvements in the maturity level of online services provided by the government websites of Saudi Arabia. Practical implications The relationship between e-government use and investment decisions appears to be bidirectional, as greater levels of investment seem to offer more opportunities for service improvement. Originality/value The outcomes are expected to assist executive authorities in understanding the current situation of e-government and plan appropriate strategic suggestions and development.

Making Digital Government More Inclusive: An Integrated Perspective

“…Among the governments in the Middle East, the Saudi government stands out as having a particularly ambitious policy goal in the realm of e-government. According to Alzahrani (2022), Lytras and Şerban (2020), and Ghazaleh and Ahmad (2018), the government of Saudi Arabia has the goal of transforming the country into a world-class information society that is open to the public around the clock seven days a week. In addition, they want to see an increase in the Kingdom's overall productivity.…”

“…In addition, they want to see an increase in the Kingdom's overall productivity. The Saudi government has emphasized that the needs of citizens should be at the forefront of the development of e-government (Alzahrani 2022). A national policy proposal entitled 'Proposed Framework for Quality Assessment of E-Government Portals in Saudi Arabia' was put forth in 2019 (Almurayziq and Salama 2019).…”

Maturity as a critical sustainability factor for e‐government: Toward a conceptual framework

“…Similar to developed countries, developing nations have begun to launch e-government programs as part of their modernization efforts. Despite all their efforts, e-government deployment in developing countries is deemed insufficient (Alzahrani, 2022).…”