Using Online Public Services: A Measurement of Citizens' Operational, Formal, Information and Strategic Skills

Authors:
Alexander Deursen;Jan Dijk
Affiliations:
University of Twente - Department of Media, Communication and Organization, Research program Governments and ICT, Enschede, The Netherlands 7500 AE;University of Twente - Department of Media, Communication and Organization, Research program Governments and ICT, Enschede, The Netherlands 7500 AE
Venue:
EGOV '08 Proceedings of the 7th international conference on Electronic Government
Year:
2008

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Abstract

It is important to take digital inequality research in consideration when focusing on electronic public service delivery. From this point of view, this paper considers four digital skills that citizens need when using online public services. Measurements of these skills in the Netherlands indicate that on average 80% of the operational skill Internet assignments, 72% of formal Internet skills assignments, 62% of the information Internet skills assignments and 25% of strategic Internet skills assignments have been successfully completed. Performances are significantly different for people with high, medium and low level of education attained and in some cases for people with different age. The Dutch government's expectation that every citizen with an Internet connection is able to complete the assignments clearly is not justified.