E-Government Services and the Digital Divide A Quantitative Analysis of the Digital Divide between the General Public and Internet Users
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Keywords
E-Government, Digitalization, Internet users, Survey, the Czech Republic
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to assess the digital divide that exists between the general public and (active) Internet users in their support for the digitalization of public services (E-Government). In conducting this study, the SKODA AUTO University Research Team gathered data from 1,613 respondents – 611 respondents who are active Internet users (using computer-assisted web interviews) and 1,002 respondents from the general public (using pen-and-paper or computer-assisted personal interviews). Results have indicated that the divide exists, although it does not pose as considerable a challenge to the current E-Governance as is often assumed. Based on the current divide, improved ICT skills and higher Internet usage among citizens could increase overall support for the digitalization of public services by up to 20 percentage points. Data results also identified two societal segments, namely, respondents from 1) the age category 60+ years and 2) ‘Below-average income’ respondents, as particularly vulnerable and marginalized.
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References
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Jirina Boksova, SKODA AUTO University
Lectures at the ŠKODA AUTO University in Mladá Boleslav, where she works as the head of the Department of Finance and Accounting. At the same time, she collaborates and leads doctoral students at the University of Economics in Prague, where she was appointed associate professor of Financial
Accounting and Financial Management in 2010. She specializes in financial reporting and accounting of commercial insurance companies. She is the author and co-author of several books and a number of professional articles in domestic and foreign periodicals. Her other activities include conducting expert
opinions in the field of accounting, preparing expert studies and opinions at the request of institutions and public administration bodies. She cooperates with the Chamber of Auditors of the Czech Republic, where she works as an examination commissioner and lecturer of future auditors.
Michal Boksa, SKODA AUTO University
Has worked as a researcher at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Association for International Affairs. He completed a master’s degree in International Relations and Politics at the University of Cambridge, focusing on international security issues. He gained practical experience during his tenure at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (NATO SHAPE) in Mons, at the NATO Defense College (NATO NDC) in Rome, and at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. Michal has authored a number of domestic and foreign publications; lectured at the University of Economics in the field of international relations, and assesses professional articles and contributions for scholarly journals. Additionally, he academically also focuses on topics associated with e-Governance and digitalization.
Josef Horak, SKODA AUTO University
Lectures at the ŠKODA AUTO University in Mladá Boleslav at the Department of Finance and Accounting. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Technical University in Liberec, majoring in Business
Economics, and subsequently completed his doctoral studies in the field of Business Organization and Management. From 2006 to 2015, he worked at the Department of Finance and Accounting, Faculty of Economics, Technical University of Liberec. He has published a number of professional articles
focused on financial management, financial and managerial accounting. He is currently interested in Industry 4.0. In the pedagogical field, he specializes in the fields of financial and managerial accounting.
Karel Pavlica, SKODA AUTO University
Lectures at the ŠKODA AUTO University in Mladá Boleslav, where he works as the head of the Department of Human Resource Management. At the same time, he cooperates with the University of Economics in Prague, especially with the Department of Psychology and Sociology of Management, provides teaching within the international CEMS program and supervises doctoral students. In 1996, he received his Ph.D. at Manchester Metropolitan University in Management. In 2001, he was habilitated in the field of Business
Economics and Management at the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Economics in Prague. Recently, he has been working on research projects focused on leadership and organizational culture. He is the author of a number of professional publications.
Jiri Strouhal, SKODA AUTO University
Lectures at the ŠKODA AUTO University in Mladá Boleslav and is the president of the Association of Professional Accountants of the Czech Republic. He completed his master studies at the University of Economics in Prague, where he subsequently successfully completed his doctoral studies, obtained his habilitation and was subsequently appointed professor of Business Economics and Management in 2016. In addition to teaching, he cooperates professionally with audit firms and with the Czech Statistical Office. He is the author of more than 30 publications in the field of accounting and financial management. He serves also as the editorial board member of scientific journals: Journal of Competitiveness, International Advances in Economic Research and International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge.
Stanislav Saroch, SKODA AUTO University
Lectures at the ŠKODA AUTO University in Mladá Boleslav. In 2003 he was appointed associate professor of Economic Policy at the University of Economics in Prague and in 2018 he became a professor in the field of International Economic Relations at the Faculty of International Relations of the University of Economics, Prague. He specializes in the fields of international economics, economics of European integration, economic policy, institutional economics and issues of competitiveness of countries. He is the author of a number of professional publications, is a member of the Czech Economic Society and the Scientific Board of the Czech Banking Association and a member of the editorial and executive boards of scientific journals: Prague Economic Papers, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Scientia & Societas.
