This dissertation addresses a key gap in the e-participation literature, which has often examined adoption through fragmented supply-side (government and institutions) or demand-side (citizens and participation) perspectives. To provide a more holistic understanding, the study examines how the interplay between supply- and demand-side drivers shapes e-participation adoption and meaningful outcomes.
The dissertation develops a consolidated theoretical framework and employs a mixed-methods research design. The quantitative phase, using longitudinal panel data from European regions (2010–2022), finds that demand-side factors are the stronger predictors of e-participation adoption, while supply-side factors show a more limited and context-dependent influence. The qualitative phase draws on case studies of the Citizens Guide to the Budget and Irembo.Gov in Rwanda to examine how the interaction between supply and demand-side drivers is mediated through existing mechanisms and governance arrangements.
The dissertation reconceptualizes e-participation as a mediated governance process. It demonstrates that adoption is a necessary but insufficient condition for achieving meaningful participation outcomes. Rather than arising simply from the availability of digital platforms, meaningful outcomes depend on how the interaction between supply and demand-side drivers is mediated, governed, and institutionalized in practice. The study distinguishes between instrumental and transformative outcomes and proposes an E-Participation Framework for Meaningful Outcomes that highlights the importance of institutional willingness, power dynamics, and the quality of mediation at the supply–demand interface in shaping e-participation adoption and translating participation into meaningful policy influence and improved service delivery.
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