CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1. Research methodology
The aim of this chapter is to outline the methodological approach adopted to fulfil the
objectives set out for the study. The research methodology chapter begin by providing a
research design and methods used in the study. This chapter discuss the administration of the
quantitative survey undertaken and the level of responses that were received from e-district
employees working in the state of Uttarakhand. This has been followed by a survey instrument
used in the study. The final part of the chapter looked at the methods adopted in the analysis of
the data obtained from the questionnaires. The chapter describes the tools and devices used for
data collection and methods used for analysing and interpreting the collected data. The use of
appropriate statistical and mathematical tools is essential to draw valid and meaningful
conclusions.
5.1.1: Research design and Research method
The phenomena of investigating the impact of e-government adoption on job performance has
not been investigated earlier in Uttarakhand. This study has explored the phenomena by using
exploratory research design. Exploratory research design generally produces qualitative data.
When the sample of the study is large and data is collected through surveys, then data used in
exploratory research is quantified. Investigating the issue and collecting the information
through survey supports descriptive research. Both primary and secondary data has been used
to collect information.
To study the initiatives taken by Uttarakhand Government. The focus group discussion was
also held with the employees of various Government Department in Uttarakhand to validate
the information collected through secondary sources (e-government websites, reports, journals,
news articles, magazines etc.). The extensive literature review has been conducted to identify
the items of e-governance adoption and job performance. The identified items were discussed
with the experts (academicians and government employees) through focus group discussion
method for better understanding and clarity.
Survey method has been used to obtain the primary data regarding e-government adoption and
job performance. A questionnaire has been developed to attain the objective to attain the
objectives of the research study. Hypotheses were developed to test associations among the
variables of e-government adoption and job performance.
5.1.2: Survey location
The study has been conducted in State of Uttarakhand in India. Uttarakhand state was carved
out of erstwhile hill region of Uttar Pradesh State, a big state in northern part of India.
According to the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances published a
report on the (“National e-Governance Service Delivery Index Assessment,” 2019) all the
union territories and states were assigned ranking on their e-governance service. In this
assessment, Uttarakhand was not considered for assessment. The state government could not
provide the data about the e-government services offered in Uttarakhand. This posed the
question of recognizing the uncertainties connected to e-government in Uttarakhand.
5.1.3: Target respondents
In the state of Uttarakhand, there are 13 districts namely, Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli,
Champawat, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Tehri
Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar, and Uttarkashi. This study has selected “e-district services”
(District administrative services) because it is only e-government service that is providing e-
government services across 13 districts of Uttarakhand.
The respondents of the study are the employees who are working on the e-district portal to
deliver e-district services in Uttarakhand.
* Note: employees who were working offline to deliver government services in e-district offices
have not been considered in this study
5.1.4: Sampling
The census method has been employed in this study. There are 13 e-district offices in
Uttarakhand (Table 5.1). The total number of employees (population) is 349 who were working
on e-district portal across 13 district of Uttrakhand (Table 5.1). The researcher has considered
all 349 employees (sample) for the data collection. The managers were contacted to grant the
permission for data collection in their respective e-district offices. The managers were
requested to share the detials of the employees who were then working on e-district portal. All
the employees were contacted through e-mail, phone and personal visits for taking their
responses for participation in the study. All the employees showed the favourable attitude and
agreed to participate in the study. During data collection, an ethical consent form to participate
in the study was obtained from the employees.

Table 5.1 Total 13 e-district offices in Uttarakhand

 e-district offices No. of Employees
working online on e-
district portal
Chamoli 18
Bageshwar 20
Pithoragarh 18
Rudraprayag 20
Uttarkashi 25
Dehradun 45
Nainital 35
Almora 22
Tehri 25
Udham Singh Nagar 20
Champawat 31
Haridwar 35
Pauri 35
Total Population 349

e-district was considered from state mission mode project under NeGP as it is the only one
actively providing services in all 13 districts of Uttarakhand. It is important to note that
employees who were working offline to deliver government services in e-district offices have
not been considered as a sample in this study. The purpose of the study was to investigate the
impact of e-government adoption on job performance of employees who were working on e-
district portal at the time when survey was conducted. Hence, purposive sampling technique
was used to attain the objective of the study. Purposive sampling is a non- probabilty sampling
technique that is selected by the researcher based upon the characterisctics and objective of the
study. Purposive sampling technique has been used by many researchers in previous studies
(Ziemba et al., 2015; Batara et al., 2017; Gemiya, 2020; Rana et al., 2021).

5.1.5 : Survey Instrument

Two-stage research was conducted to design the questionnaire. In the first stage, exploratory
research consisted of literature review. In the second stage, focus group discussions and in-
depth interviews were conducted with the experts and government employees working in the
e-district of Uttarakhand.
Stage I
Initially, on the basis of the literature review, a total of nine factors were identified that
influenced e-government adoption and job performance. Under e-government adoption, five
factors were identified namely, Organizational Factor, Technical Factor, Trust Factor, Social
Factor and Personal Factor. Under the job performance, four factors were identified Task
performance, Contextual performance, Adaptive behaviour, and Counter-productive work
behaviour. Finally, the questionnaire related to e-government adoption and job performance
was designed comprising of nine factors.
Stage II
In stage 2, there were two focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted to
refine the questionnaire items. The sample of 15 employees were considered for focus group
discussion and in-depth interview. The focus groups’ participants were experts, academicians,
and discussions were guided and directed by the researcher. Their feedback and suggestion
were taken to find out the relevance of the identified factors and sub-factors extracted from the
literature review. During this survey “Personal factor” was shifted to separate section in the
demographic factors. The identified pool of items was further refined through in-depth
interviews with the employees of the e-district office. The result of the qualitative study was a
pool of twelve items spread across four factors influencing the adoption of e-government
adoption and similarly twelve items spread across four factors influencing job performance
(Table 4.1.2).
Pre-test
After stage 2, adequacy of the questionnaire was done for pre-testing of questionnaire fifty-
four employees were considered from various e-district offices. The employees placed certain
suggestions as according to them some words in the questionnaire were not clear and difficult
to understand. It was also suggested to change the flow in certain parts of the questionnaire.
On the basis of their employee's feedback and suggestion, vague words were removed, some
sentences were revised and the placements of certain questions were also changed.
The revisions done on the basis of pre-test resulted in a structured questionnaire (Appendix). It
consisted of three sections: Section A, Section B and Section C. Section A had statements
pertaining to demographic characteristics of the employees. It comprised of 5 questions.
Questionnaire items were related to gender, age, educational level, district, and the department
where they weree currently working at the time of the study.
Section B comprised of all statements related to e-government adoption. It consisted of twelve
items related to four factors that influenced e-government adoption among employees, wherein
three items were related to organizational factor, three items in technical factor, three items in
trust factor, and three items in social factor. Five-point Likert Scale has been used ranging from
Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree for scaling responses of these items.
Section C had twelve items related to the four factors of employees’ job performance wherein
three items were related to task performance, three items in contextual performance, three items
in adaptive behaviour, and three items in counter-productive work behaviour. The responses of
all the items in this section have been recorded on a 5 point Likert Scale. Responses range from
from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree.
The developed questionnaire was distributed through mails among employees of e-district of
Uttrakhand. From 349 distributed questionnaires, 340 responses were received, a response rate
of 76.3%. After removing unviable responses (incomplete responses, selection of more than
one answer, unanswered), 330 usable responses were selected as the sample.
5.1.6: Statistical tools
Descriptive statistics have been used to explain the demographic characteristics of the
employees. The study has used the parametric test for testing the hypothesis related to e-
government adoption and job performance. Factor analysis has been used to identifying the
factors that influence e-government adoption and job performance. To study the impact of e-
government adoption on employees, multiple regression analysis has been used. Structural
equation modelling has been used to analyse the structural relationships between measured
variables and latent constructs. The Structural equation modelling output has been taken from
Partial Least Squares (PLS) software.
Chapter summary 5

This chapter explains key features of the research for the study. Further, chapter discuss the
development of research design, research method, survey location, target respondent and statistical
tools.

Research Design: Exploratory research design has been used in this study. Both the primary and
process data sources were applied to analyses and validate the proposed hypotheses in the study.

Survey Location: Study conducted in State of Uttarakhand in India

Target Respondent: 330 employees of e-district offices in Uttarakhand.

Statistical Tools: Descriptive statistics have been used to explain the demographic characteristics
of the employees. For identified the factors that influence e-government adoption and job
performance factor analysis has been used. Further, multiple regression analysis has been used to
study the impact of e-government adoption on employees. Structural equation modeling has been
used to analyse the structural relationships between measured variables and latent construct. The
Structural equation modelling output has been taken from Partial Least Squares (PLS) software.