Does modified mobile government satisfy elders' needs? An empirical study of China's Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces

In light of the accelerated growth of an aging population, coupled with the massive diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), research on whether ICTs meet the needs of elderly users is important and timely. Despite the popularity of self-determination theory, few studies have adopted this theoretical framework to explain need satisfaction among this group. The continuous use of mobile government (m-government) relies on the satisfaction of citizens' needs. Through the theoretical lens of self-determination theory, we developed a research model of m-government for elders' intrinsic need satisfaction. In this model, the design factors, per-formance factors, and individuals' ability factors are incorporated. Based on data from 366 m-government-for-elders users in China's Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces, and through the use of structural equation modeling, the results show that complexity has a negative correlation with autonomy need satisfaction and competence need satisfaction. Visual appeal positively affects all dimensions of intrinsic need satisfaction. Information quality has a positive relationship with relatedness need satisfaction. The effects of personalization on relatedness need satisfaction and the influence of personalization on competence need satisfaction were significant. Information literacy moderates the relationship between complexity and autonomy need satisfaction, as well as between complexity and competence need satisfaction. The findings of this article enrich existing m-government research and provide practical implications for policymakers and m-government developers in China.

Automated summary

This research explores intrinsic need satisfaction among elderly users in m-government through self-determination theory. The findings indicate that design factors, performance factors, and individual ability factors all play a role in meeting the needs of elderly users.