Abstract

This study examines the impact of administrative management and information technology on e-government success with the mediation role of knowledge management practices. For this purpose, data was gathered from 163 public sector participants in the Al-Jouf region of Saudi Arabia. This study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test and validate the research model and proposed hypotheses. The findings show that information technology and administrative management significantly increase e-government success and knowledge management practices. Moreover, the findings revealed that knowledge management practices play a vital mediating role between information technology and administrative management to make e-government success more successful and to reduce risk. Furthermore, this study strengthens the theoretical and practical implications of e-government by developing a link with socio-technical systems theory as well as with Fayol’s administrative management theory. In the end, the study recommends that policymakers and managers take serious steps to attain advantages in the application of technologies in e-government to fulfill the renewable and changing needs of beneficiaries.

Introduction

Technology has invaded all fields of life, and the importance of e-government has been increasing worldwide, not only for citizens’ ease of use but also for transparency and to eliminate corruption (Máchová et al., Citation2018; Sadik-Zada et al., Citation2022). E-government electronically provides enhancements to different stakeholders such as employees, citizens, local governments, and businesses (Chohan & Hu, Citation2022; Ciesielska et al., Citation2022). However, the actual implementation of e-governance is an extraordinary task. The administration faces multiple challenges, such as psychological resistance from citizens, the country’s digital infrastructure (websites, apps, etc.), and the legal substructure. As such, governments cannot resort to e-governance without giving due regard to challenges and objections from specific stakeholders (Bamufleh et al., Citation2021; Turban et al., Citation2021).

Successful implementation of e-governments in different countries has necessitated that administrations become online savvy. Policymakers, society, and researchers are analyzing this dramatic change (traditional to digital) in government service more closely, trying to find more appropriate implementation within the limitations of the country’s resources. Therefore, successful implementation depends on aspects such as administrative management, the use of information technology, and knowledge management practices (Abu-Shanab & Shehabat, Citation2018; Sulistiawaty et al., Citation2021).

Conclusion

In Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030 brought novelty to the production sector and also compelled the service sectors to convert from traditional to digital. Hence, e-government implications have become a strategic enabler for public management restructuring and expansion of the local economy. Many researchers agree that the e-government implementation projects have failed to attain their aims and deliver anticipated benefits. However, some factors can make e-government successful. Therefore, this study focuses on the influence of administrative management and information technology on e-government success with the mediation role of knowledge management practices in the public sectors of the Al-Jouf region of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, this research aimed to analyze the elements that influence e-government success in terms of knowledge management practices. Seven hypotheses were supported by the data. The findings disclosed that information technology and administrative management benefit e-government success and knowledge management practices. Furthermore, the findings of this study revealed that knowledge management practices play a vital mediating role between information technology and administrative management and e-government success to make it more successful and reduce the rate of risk. Therefore, this study strengthens the theoretical and practical implications of e-government by developing a link between socio-technical systems theory and Fayol’s administrative management theory. E-government can be utilized as a tool for implementing Fayol’s principles in practice, for example, by providing citizens with easy access to government services, increasing transparency and accountability, and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations.