From potential users to actual users: Use of e-government service by Chinese migrant farmer workers

The number of migrant farmer workers in China has increased so rapidly that they can't be ignored anymore as a vulnerable group in the coming information society. This study formulates a theoretical framework on the process of seeking for government information online and employs a method of questionnaire survey to investigate the information needs of migrant farmer workers and their behavior of using e-government service. The findings drawn include inconsistency of information seeking behaviors with information needs, and conditions of transfer from potential users of e-government services to actual users, such as information literacy, IT environment, the influence of social networks, the operations of government websites, and targeted services. Several policy recommendations are presented based on these findings, including improvements in the workers' information capacity, construction of special e-government programs aimed at such workers, and enhancement of public library systems and government service offerings to this target group.

► We formulate a theoretical framework on the process of seeking for government information online.
► We investigate the information needs of Chinese migrant farmer workers and their behavior of using e-government service.
► We find the information seeking behaviors with information needs.
► We find the key conditions of transfer from potential users of e-government services to actual users.