The effect of E-Government website evaluation on user satisfaction and intention to use: the mediating role of warmth and competence judgment on government

Abstract

The development of technology has various effects on citizens’ daily lives, among which is the growing importance of e-governance. An e-government website is an essential communication platform that supports government-citizen interaction. The current research examines the relationship between e-government website evaluation and the variables indicative of the usage of e-government services (user satisfaction and intention to use) with basic social perceptions toward the government as the mediators using structural equation modelling. According to the stereotype content model (Fiske, 1993; Fiske et al., 2002), people form an impression of others based on two basic social dimensions (warmth and competence), and different levels of these dimensions determine how one forms attitudes and behaves toward the target. Our analysis confirms that both warmth and competence judgment function as crucial mediators for the relationship between e-government website evaluation and the intention to utilize e-government websites. This suggests that the government agency is not simply viewed as a service provider but also as a social entity that encompasses both warmth and competence from the perspective of citizens. By observing the aspects of website evaluation that are associated with the social dimensions, policymakers can strategically enhance citizens’ perception toward the government as well as their relationship with the government for the optimal operation of a country in a long-term perspective.