International Journal of Electronic Governance (6 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Open Access

  The adoption and usage of e-government tools by South African metropolitan municipalities ( Free Full-text Access )

  by Gibson Muridzi, Shepherd Dhliwayo 
  Abstract: This study examines citizens' adoption and use of e-government tools to access services in South Africa's metropolitan municipalities. As e-government initiatives expand globally, local authorities embrace digital solutions to improve service delivery. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with executive members from three metropolitan areas, and the data were analysed using Atlas.Ti 7.2. The findings reveal that factors such as 24/7 website access, political support, public internet availability, shared applications, skilled professionals, strong communication infrastructure, modern technology, and public-private partnerships are essential for promoting e-government adoption. The study recommends that practitioners design e-government services as integrated digital ecosystems to enhance citizen engagement and improve service efficiency. Overall, this study offers practical insights through a digital framework aimed at fostering the adoption and effective use of e-government tools in South Africa's metropolitan municipalities.
  Keywords: e-government; adoption; usage; municipalities.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2025.10074067
   
  
• Intelligent Marketing of E-Government Public Services and Citizen Interaction  
  by Tariq Samarah, Ayman Hindieh, Ala Mughaid, Muder Almiani 
  Abstract: The application of innovative marketing technologies is important for optimizing E-government services delivery. This study investigates the integration of Emarketing with E-government platforms to improve public service and citizen engagement. The research addresses the following: How AI-driven marketing can improve citizen engagement and service accessibility? What are the key factors influencing E-government services? A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative interviews with government officials and quantitative surveys of citizens to assess the effectiveness of AI-driven strategies. The results indicate a 30% increase in user satisfaction, a 25% improvement in service accessibility, and a 40% rise in citizen engagement. The proposed system reduces operational costs by 20%. Findings underscore the implications of intelligent marketing technologies in public administration, not only in improving service delivery, but in enhancing government efficiency also. These results highlight the critical role of AI driven marketing in modernising public service, ensuring better service delivery and citizen satisfaction.
  Keywords: Digital Marketing Strategies; E-Government; Public Service Delivery; Citizen Interaction; AI-Driven Marketing; Data Analytics in Public Administration.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2025.10069135
   
  
• E-Government System for Racial Discrimination Detection in Arabic Social Media: Integrating Arabert and Ktrain in a Multimodal Learning Framework  
  by Tarek Kanan, Ashraf Almhirat, Tariq Samarah, Ghassan Kanaan, Omar Al-Azzam 
  Abstract: This study presents an advanced NLP and multimodal learning framework to detect racial discrimination in Arabic social media. We curated a dataset of 10,319 Facebook and Twitter posts, applying preprocessing steps like normalisation, stopword revoval, and stemming. The methodology integrates machine learning (SVM) and deep learning (RNN/LSTM), achieving high F1 scores. The best performance came from combining AraBERT and ktrain, with F1 scores of 90% on Twitter and 91.46% on Facebook. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in improving classification accuracy in addition contributing to the development of more secure and comprehensive digital environments for Arabic speakers.
  Keywords: Multimodal Learning; NLP; Racial Discrimination Detection; Deep Learning; AraBERT Integration; and Ktrain Integration; social media.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2025.10071486
   
  
• Protecting the Moral Rights of the Author in the Process of Machine Learning in the Era of AI: a Case Study on ChatGPT  
  by Ibrahim M. Obeidat, Adnan Alomar, Naeem A. Al Otoum, Ahmad Zaqibh 
  Abstract: This study focuses on the legal aspects of the effects resulting from the use and exploitation of works in machine learning for training ChatGPT We will concentrate on two key areas: the first addresses the mechanism of machine learning and its implications for the moral rights of authors, while the second discusses the legitimacy of developers using these works in machine learning To achieve the desired outcomes in this research, we adopted the criterion of balance between the author's rights and the public's right to benefit from these works, along with the resulting exceptions to the legal protection of the author's rights that lawmakers seek to establish to achieve this balance The study concludes that the machine in ChatGPT relies on intellectual works during its learning phase, which may lead to infringements of moral rights, such as failing to credit the author of the utilized work or damaging their reputation and honour during this phase. In certain cases, infringement may not occur if it aligns with legitimate use or falls within the exceptions established by the legislator.
  Keywords: Copyrights; moral rights; artificial intelligence; machine learning; ChatGPT.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2025.10071602
   
  
• Innovation, Digital Inclusion, and E-Government: Analysing their Relationship in Digital Governance  
  by Zakariya Belkhamza 
  Abstract: The global digital divide remains a significant barrier to effective e-government engagement, with inequalities in digital access and innovation hindering the potential of digital governance. This study examines the relationship between digital transformation, innovation and digital inclusion in the context of e-government in 121 countries. Using partial least squares structural equation modelling and finite mixture partial least squares, this research investigates how innovation and digital inclusion interact to influence e-government effectiveness and assesses unobserved heterogeneity across countries. The findings reveal that while innovation is essential to advancing digital governance, it can also negatively impact the digital divide if not managed inclusively. Furthermore, digital inclusion serves as a mediator between innovation and e-government engagement, highlighting the importance of ensuring digital access alongside technological progress. As such, this study calls for balanced strategies that foster both technological advancement and equitable access to digital services, providing critical insights for policymakers aiming to enhance e-government engagement globally.
  Keywords: digital transformation; digital inclusion; innovation; e-government engagement; global competitiveness.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2025.10072567
   
  
• Dissemination Methods and User Perception of Union Digital Services in the Haor Regions of Bangladesh  
  by Mohammad Samiul Islam, Sadik Hasan 
  Abstract: The study investigated strategies for disseminating the services through the Union Digital Centre (UDC) in Bangladesh's Haor regions and user satisfaction with union digital centres' operations. Data was collected through questionnaire surveys and key informant interviews, using the Likert scale to assess users' perceptions and satisfaction with UDC's performance. The study reveals that major socio-economic features of the target population, including primary school, household work, income range of 10,000-20,000 BDT, and age 31-50, utilise various dissemination methods, including paper-based, verbal, cell phone, email, and home service delivery. Capacity constraints, such as internet speed, equipment availability, power supply, entrepreneurial competencies, and behaviour, significantly influence the operational efficacy of UDCs. Customer satisfaction scores are neutral for internet speed, equipment accessibility, entrepreneurial skills, and service delivery but satisfied for power availability and entrepreneurial behaviour. Prioritising these challenges can enhance service quality.
  Keywords: Dissemination methods; Union digital services; Users’ perception; Union Digital Centre; and Haor regions.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2025.10072679