TY - JOUR TI - Citizen trust of government in the context of citizen-centered administration DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T33R0VHP PY - 2014 AB - Drawing primarily on rational choice theory, the principal-agent model, deliberative democracy theory, and social capital theory, this study empirically investigates how local government administration performance, information transparency and technology, citizen participation in local governance, and individual-level social capital affect government trustworthiness; what roles that administration performance plays between citizen trust and other proposed predictors; and whether local government managerial process influences state and federal government credibility. Cross-sectional online citizen survey was employed to administer questionnaires to CivicPanel registered members in July 2013. Using data from 528 valid responses, structural equation model and descriptive statistics reveal that (a) average government trustworthiness is relatively low throughout local, state, and federal levels, and decreases from local to state to federal government; (b) high administration performance, adoption of social media or electronic subscription to distribute information, and variety of citizen participation avenues boost government trustworthiness; however, the more citizens are involved in community activities or associations, the less they trust in government; (c) reliable government information disclosure and high levels of interpersonal trust with other people directly contribute to citizen confidence in government and indirectly affect government trustworthiness through facilitating administration performance; (d) stability of the e-government system and the true influences of participation on policy making are positively associated with administration performance, which promotes government trustworthiness; (e) older people, females, and Democrats tend to have less trust in government; and (f) local government managerial process indeed has effects on state and federal government trustworthiness. Thus the determinants of government trustworthiness are multi-dimensional, with administration performance being pivotal. Also, a joint Outcome-Process perspective is essential for a complete picture of government trustworthiness. To achieve a satisfactory level of citizen trust in government, politicians and administrators should seek a balance between citizen-centered value and institutional performance. The study indicates a need to develop collaborative administration from passive responsiveness to genuinely involving citizens and cross-government agencies in policy making and implementation. Information technology plays a key role in shaping citizen trust in government, and information technology should not only deliver managerial efficiency but also play a role in promoting democracy, e-participation, and e-governance. KW - Public Administration (SPAA) KW - Trust--Political aspects KW - Transparency in government--United States KW - Social capital (Sociology) KW - Deliberative democracy LA - eng ER -