Behavioural risk considerations in decisions to digitise services of a South African provincial government

Abstract

The digitisation of government services has emerged as a transformative trend in the public sector, promising enhanced efficiency, accessibility, and convenience for citizens and businesses. While this shift holds significant promise, there are behavioural risks associated with this transition. The objective of this study was to assess whether the South African provincial government considered behavioural risks in the decision to digitise its government services. This qualitative study employed both a literature review and a document analysis of three key e-government documents of one South African provincial government. The findings show that this provincial government partially considered behavioural risks in the decision to digitise its services. Nevertheless, it is recommended that the provincial government consider conducting a behavioural risk assessment on the digitisation of services to enable it to prepare adequate and effective mitigation plans to address such risks. This would assist with efficient and effective digitised service delivery and active citizen participation in the decision-making process. The study shows that, although there has been awareness of behavioural risks, these have not been fully addressed in the public sector. This research, conducted in a single province in the country, provides a foundation for further research extending to other provinces and considerations at the national level.