Purpose: This paper aims to investigate and comprehend the nature of the relationship between e-government development and the digital economy.Design/methodology/approach: A multidimensional research paradigm is developed on the basis of the technology adoption model and Fountain’s technology enactment theory. The model is empirically examined using a regional study of 20 Asian countries.Findings: A positive two-way relationship between e-government development and the digital economy has been indicated by the findings. Moreover, along with social, economic, political, technological and demographic factors, certain national cultural characteristics have significant effects on the digital economy and e-government development.Research limitations/implications: One of the key limitations of the study is that it is based on publicly available secondary data. Therefore, some degree of caution should be kept in mind when making generalisations about the findings of this study.Originality/value: The contribution of this study is that it provides a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the dynamic association between e-government development and the digital economy by providing aid to policymakers in understanding the nature of dynamic relationships between the digital economy, government organisations and citizens’ adoption of technologies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated some of the challenges that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face in times of crisis, disrupting their operations, weakening their financial positions, and exposing them to a wide range of financial risks. While previous studies have viewed digital transformation as a vital source of innovation and productivity growth for economic recovery in SMEs, there has been limited focus on digital transformation in the regional context, with very little attention focused on women-led enterprises. This study aims to investigate (i) the determinants of perception of digital transformation among regional SMEs, and (ii) whether the gender of the SME owner or manager has an impact on the drivers of the digital transformation experiences of SMEs operating in regional Australia. Building upon the resource-based view, this study uses a unique dataset of 281 SMEs collected from a survey conducted within a regional area of Queensland, Australia. Employing Feasible Generalised Least Squares and Generalised Least Squares estimations, the study found that the perceptions of digital transformation can be explained by the use of social network platforms, innovation processes, workplace culture, and information and communication technologies. This study also found that there is a significant difference between female-led and male-led SMEs regarding their perceptions of digital transformation. This study offers two key policy and practical insights: (i) digital transformation of regional SMEs should be used as a fundamental tool for crisis recovery strategies, and (ii) the need for policymakers to mainstream gender into postcrisis transformative interventions and policies should be fast tracked.

Despite rapid digital development in the past two decades, the remote parts of Australia still experience disadvantages with the adoption and diffusion of digital technology. As the adoption of information and communication technology continues to increase at a significant rate, investigating the underlying factors of the digital divide in general and also in the context of social exclusion in Australia is pertinent. The current study fills the gap in the existing body of knowledge by exploring the effect of socio-demographic factors and remoteness on the digital divide landscape with a country-specific focus on Australia. Using state-wide longitudinal data covering the 1998–2015 period within the panel data estimation framework, this study finds that digital divide is significantly associated with socio-demographic factors and remoteness in Australia. Moreover, the findings affirm that in addition to telecommunication infrastructure development, policymakers should also underscore socio-demographic factors in shaping digital inclusion strategies.

Managers need to better understand how information and communication technologies (ICTs) lead to informed decisions about the investment and advantages of such technologies. However, at best, the empirical evidence on the business value of technology is mixed in relation to small firms. A total of 43 firms satisfied the study’s definition of start-ups. The final survey included 54 questions on access to and use of ICTs, innovation, firm characteristics, as well as the participants’ demographics, of which 11 factors were analyzed as part of this study. We found compelling evidence to support the positive effects of ICTs on firm-level innovation and performance based on the primary survey data of 270 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in an Australian regional area. Moreover, we found that ICT strategies and skills are important factors that drive innovation and the overall performance of SMEs. In addition, various conditions, such as an agile workplace culture and international trade, can help firms improve their performance. Young businesses, particularly start-ups with ICT skills, show an improved innovation capability. However, remoteness appears to influence innovation negatively for nascent firms. Thus, managers should focus on improving ICT skills, strategies, and networking that help facilitate tangible ICT investments to foster innovation and growth.