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.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Public Administration (SPAA)
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_5768
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (ix, 185 p. : ill.)
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = vita)
Includes vita
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Trust--Political aspects
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Transparency in government--United States
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Social capital (Sociology)
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Deliberative democracy
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Xiang Yao
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - Newark Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10002600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.