{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,2]],"date-time":"2026-05-02T17:34:07Z","timestamp":1777743247476,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,3,6]],"date-time":"2019-03-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1551830400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IP"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,3,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Smart information and communication technologies (ICTs) are finding their ways into public administration, and numerous smart government efforts are marking the start of a new digitalization wave in the public sector. Despite being in the early stages of development, these initiatives promise a new model for the provision of public services: smart government. Because past technical innovations in the public sector did not reach their full potential, it is crucial to know the difficulties if one is to successfully address them. We explore the perceived barriers to the adoption of smart government in an early phase of implementation. We analyzed barriers, utilizing 32 interviews with actors involved in smart government initiatives. Cluster analysis helped us to identify six barrier groups: a lack of legitimacy, a lack of legal foundations, a lack of policy coherence, a lack of technical infrastructure, cost-benefit considerations, and a lack of innovation capacity. We distinguish between organizational and institutional barriers, and discuss restrictions and implications for praxis and future research.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3233\/ip-180095","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,2,22]],"date-time":"2019-02-22T12:00:15Z","timestamp":1550836815000},"page":"3-20","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":67,"title":["How smart can government be? Exploring barriers to the adoption of smart government"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Kuno","family":"Schedler","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ali Asker","family":"Guenduez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ruth","family":"Frischknecht","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1504\/IJEG.2016.078118","article-title":"Current state of m-government research: identifying future research opportunities","volume":"8","author":"Albesher,","year":"2016","journal-title":"International Journal of Electronic Governance"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2015.07.003","article-title":"Why e-government projects fail? An analysis of the Healthcare.gov website","volume":"33","author":"Anthopoulos,","year":"2016","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Backhaus, K., Erichson, B., Plinke, W., & Weiber, R. (2011). Multivariate Analysemethoden. Eine anwendungsorientierte Einff\u00fchrung [Multivariate analysis methods. An application-oriented introduction]. Heidelberg: Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-16491-0"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1177\/0894439303259876","article-title":"E-government visual accessibility for older adult users","volume":"22","author":"Becker,","year":"2004","journal-title":"Social Science Computer Review"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bhatti, Z. K., Kusek, J. Z., & Verheijen, T. (2015). Logged on: Smart government solutions from South Asia. Washington, DC, World Bank.","DOI":"10.1596\/978-1-4648-0312-3"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Blasius, J. (1994). Empirische Lebensstilforschung [Empirical Lifestyle Research]. In J. S. u. B. Dangschat, J\u00f6rg (Ed.), Lebensstile in den St\u00e4dten. Konzepte und Methoden [Lifestyles in the cities. Concepts and methods]. Opladen: Leske + Buldrich.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-663-10618-0_15"},{"issue":"6","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"498","DOI":"10.1111\/0033-3352.00113","article-title":"Loose cannons and rule breakers, or enterprising leaders? Some evidence about innovative public managers","volume":"60","author":"Borins,","year":"2000","journal-title":"Public Administration Review"},{"issue":"3","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"218","DOI":"10.1002\/poi3.130","article-title":"Big Data and Public Policy: Can It Succeed Where E-Participation Has Failed","volume":"8","author":"Bright,","year":"2016","journal-title":"Policy and Internet"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1016\/S0740-624X(01)00090-9","article-title":"Transforming local e-government services: the use of application service providers","volume":"18","author":"Chen,","year":"2001","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"issue":"1\/2","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3233\/IP-2010-0205","article-title":"Government 2.0: Making connections between citizens, data and government","volume":"15","author":"Chun,","year":"2010","journal-title":"Information Polity"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1177\/089443930101900107","article-title":"E-governance and smart communities - A social learning challenge","volume":"19","author":"Coe,","year":"2001","journal-title":"Social Science Computer Review"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S10","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2014.01.003","article-title":"On the barriers for local government releasing open data","volume":"31","author":"Conradie,","year":"2014","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsis.2010.01.001","article-title":"Information systems in the public sector: The e-Government enactment framework","volume":"19","author":"Cordella,","year":"2010","journal-title":"Journal of Strategic Information Systems"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1111\/padm.12209","article-title":"Innovation in the Public Sector: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda","volume":"94","author":"De Vries,","year":"2016","journal-title":"Public Administration"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpol.2013.08.024","article-title":"Relationships between safety culture aspects \u2013 A work process to enable interpretation","volume":"44","author":"Ek,","year":"2014","journal-title":"Marine Policy"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref18","unstructured":"Fountain, J. E. (2001). Building the Virtual State. Information Technology and Institutional Change. Washinton: Brooking Institution Press."},{"issue":"5","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"535","DOI":"10.1177\/0894439314560676","article-title":"Special Issue on Open Government: An Introduction","volume":"33","author":"Gasc\u00f3,","year":"2015","journal-title":"Social Science Computer Review"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1145\/3117800","article-title":"Building a Smart City: Lessons from Barcelona","volume":"61","author":"Gasc\u00f3-Hernandez,","year":"2018","journal-title":"Communications of the Acm"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.3233\/IP-2012-000287","article-title":"Towards a smart state? Inter-agency collaboration, information integration, and beyond","volume":"17","author":"Gil-Garcia,","year":"2012","journal-title":"Information Polity"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref22","first-page":"9","article-title":"Being smart: Emerging technologies and innovation in the public sector","author":"Gil-Garcia,","year":"2014","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1628\/000389117X14894104852645","article-title":"Verhaltenssteuerung durch Algorithmen \u2013 Eine Herausforderung f\u00fcr das Recht [Behavioural control through algorithms \u2013 A challenge for the law]","volume":"142","author":"Hoffmann-Riem,","year":"2017","journal-title":"Archiv des \u00f6ffentlichen Rechts"},{"issue":"5","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1016\/j.indmarman.2003.08.015","article-title":"Innovativeness: Its antecedents and impact on business performance","volume":"33","author":"Hult,","year":"2004","journal-title":"Industrial Marketing Management"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.1080\/10580530.2012.716740","article-title":"Benefits, Adoption Barriers and Myths of Open Data and Open Government","volume":"29","author":"Janssen,","year":"2012","journal-title":"Information Systems Management,"},{"issue":"10","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1109\/MC.2014.281","article-title":"E-Government Interoperability: Linking Open and Smart Government","volume":"47","author":"Jimenez,","year":"2014","journal-title":"Computer"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref27","first-page":"170","article-title":"A case study of local e-government performance in South Korea: Do leadership and management for results matter","volume":"10","author":"Kim,","year":"2009","journal-title":"International Public Management Review"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.1177\/0020852300662002","article-title":"Rebuilding the state for social development: towards \u2018smart government\u2019","volume":"66","author":"Kliksberg,","year":"2000","journal-title":"International Review of Administrative Sciences"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1177\/0170840616655496","article-title":"When bureaucracy meets the crowd: Studying \u2019open government\u2019 in the Vienna City Administration","volume":"38","author":"Kornberger,","year":"2017","journal-title":"Organization Studies"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref30","unstructured":"Lawson, G. (1998). NetState: Creating electronic government. London: Demos."},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref31","unstructured":"Linder, W. (2010). Swiss Democracy: Possible Solutions to Conflict in Multicultural Societies (3rd Edition), New York: Palgrave Macmillan."},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref32","first-page":"1","article-title":"Proactive e-Governance: Flipping the service delivery model from pull to push in Taiwan","author":"Linders,","year":"2015","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2014.08.001","article-title":"Digital government transformation and internet portals: The co-evolution of technology, organizations, and institutions","volume":"31","author":"Luna-Reyes,","year":"2014","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3233\/IP-140334","article-title":"Smart Government, Citizen Participation and Open Data","volume":"19","author":"Mellouli,","year":"2014","journal-title":"Information Polity"},{"issue":"3","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"516","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2016.07.004","article-title":"Agile innovation management in government: A research agenda","volume":"33","author":"Mergel,","year":"2016","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"issue":"5","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"726","DOI":"10.1080\/14719037.2017.1320044","article-title":"Open innovation in the public sector: drivers and barriers for the adoption of Challenge.gov","volume":"20","author":"Mergel,","year":"2018","journal-title":"Public Management Review"},{"issue":"6","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"928","DOI":"10.1111\/puar.12625","article-title":"Big data in public affairs","volume":"76","author":"Mergel,","year":"2016","journal-title":"Public Administration Review"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref38","first-page":"175","article-title":"The Road to Digital and Smart Government in Switzerland","author":"Mettler,","year":"2018","journal-title":"Swiss Public Administration : Making the State Work Successfully"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mooi, E., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). Cluster Analysis. In E. Mooi & M. Sarstedt (Eds.), A concise guide to market research. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-12541-6"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1111\/0033-3352.00196","article-title":"The evolution of e-government among municipalities: Rhetoric or reality","volume":"62","author":"Moon,","year":"2002","journal-title":"Public Administration Review"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1108\/14601069810199131","article-title":"Culture and climate for innovation","volume":"1","author":"Pervaiz,","year":"1998","journal-title":"European Journal of Innovation Management"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.7769\/gesec.v7i2.531","article-title":"Urban Lifecycle Management: A Research Program for Smart Government of Smart Cities","volume":"7","author":"Rochet,","year":"2016","journal-title":"Revista de Gest\u00e3o e Secretariado"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S63","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2014.01.008","article-title":"Understanding the e-government paradox: Learning from literature and practice on barriers to adoption","volume":"31","author":"Savoldelli,","year":"2014","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref44","unstructured":"Schedler, K. (2018). Von Electronic Government und\u00a0 Smart GovernmentMehr als elektrifizieren! [About Electronic Government and Smart Government. More than just electrify!]. IMPuls, 1(1)."},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref45","first-page":"1","article-title":"Managing the e-government organization","volume":"5","author":"Schedler,","year":"2004","journal-title":"International Public Management Review"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref46","unstructured":"Scholl, H. J., & Scholl, M. C. (2014). Smart Governance: A Roadmap for Research and Practice. Paper presented at the iConference 2014 Proceedings."},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref47","first-page":"113","article-title":"Examining the barriers to e-government adoption","volume":"7","author":"Schwester,","year":"2009","journal-title":"Electronic Journal of e-Government"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.2307\/256522","article-title":"Strategic sensemaking and organizational performance \u2013 linkages among scanning, interpretation, action, and outcomes","volume":"36","author":"Thomas,","year":"1993","journal-title":"Academy of Management Journal"},{"key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref49","unstructured":"United Nations, & ASPA, (2002). Benchmarking e-government: A global perspective. New York, NY: U.N. Publications."},{"issue":"3","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"472","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2016.06.004","article-title":"Privacy concerns in smart cities","volume":"33","author":"van Zoonen,","year":"2016","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"issue":"5","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"511","DOI":"10.1108\/17410390510623981","article-title":"Barriers to e-government integration","volume":"18","author":"Wing,","year":"2005","journal-title":"Journal of Enterprise Information Management"},{"issue":"3","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"556","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2017.05.001","article-title":"The effects of successful ICT-based smart city services: From citizens\u2019 perspectives","volume":"34","author":"Yeh,","year":"2017","journal-title":"Government Information Quarterly"},{"issue":"5","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"589","DOI":"10.1108\/14637150510619902","article-title":"E-government adoption: architecture and barriers","volume":"11","author":"Zakareya,","year":"2005","journal-title":"Business Process Management Journal"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.3233\/IP-180095_ref54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"281","DOI":"10.5465\/amj.2006.20786073","article-title":"The work of the symbolic in institutional processes: Translations of rational myths in Israeli high tech","volume":"49","author":"Zilber,","year":"2006","journal-title":"Academy of Management Journal"}],"container-title":["Information Polity"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/content.iospress.com\/download?id=10.3233\/IP-180095","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T11:34:59Z","timestamp":1777462499000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.3233\/IP-180095"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,3,6]]},"references-count":52,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1"},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3233\/ip-180095","relation":{},"ISSN":["1570-1255","1875-8754"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1570-1255","type":"print"},{"value":"1875-8754","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,3,6]]}}}