The influence of organisational ambidexterity on transformational government in Zimbabwe : Towards a municipal information quality model

Abstract

In an endeavour to promote innovativeness and efficient Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Transformational Government (T-Gov), many governments in developing countries have formulated National ICT policies that seek to deploy ICTs to all sectors of their economies. This move requires a push for the creation of an enabling environment to disseminate information to citizens. However, there are indications from prior research which show that Transformational Government is not achieving the outcomes it is touted for. Despite reported failures of Transformational Government projects and constant lack of public value to the detriment of citizens, many governments throughout the world continue to invest large amounts of resources in these government projects. Several issues remain unresolved, for instance, one branch of literature points out that there is lack digital innovation on organisations implementing Transformational Government projects. It is against this background that this study explored the influence of Digital Government Ambidexterity on municipal information quality towards realisation of public value. To this end, a municipal information quality model (MunINFORQUAL) was developed. Embracing the theory of dynamic capabilities, IS Success theory and public value theory helped in the analysis of the multifaceted nature of organizational ambidexterity and Transformational Government . Using Smart-PLS structural equation modeling technique, exploitative and explorative digital innovation were identified as the factors influencing municipal information quality towards public value amongst municipalities. A cross sectional and snowball sampling approaches was adopted to select the sample, of which the sampling frame was derived from citizens seeking services from those municipalities. A questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data from participants, and descriptive, inferential statistics and information from focus group interviews were used to analyse the data. The results showed that digital government policy implementation moderated the relationship between ambidextrous digital innovation and municipal information quality, and also municipal information quality mediated the relationship between ambidextrous digital innovation and public value. However, non-significant results were found when testing the mediating effect of information usability in the relationship between ambidextrous digital innovation and public value. Further, the results revealed that information completeness, information relevance and information readability mediated the relationship between ambidextrous digital innovation and public value. Testing the mediating effect of information trustworthiness, results showed partial mediation. The results provides satisfactory evidence that exploitative and explorative digital innovation can influence municipal information quality vi positively thereby leading to public value. This study, therefore recommends that managers and policy makers of municipalities should embrace digital innovations in order to enhance public value thereby increasing citizens’ participation through full utilisation of digital technologies. This is achievable through implementation of policies that promote effective digital innovation for information quality. Further, this study recommends the establishment of ambidextrous digital innovation within municipalities which will promote effective utilisation of digital technologies as a means of realising the impact of Transformational Government.