Factors influencing internet use - A policy model for electronic government information provision

Collaborative efforts have fostered the development, maintenance, and expansion of the Internet. Historically, public, non-profit, and private sector institutions have made significant contributions. By reviewing the literature that discusses the contributions, roles, and responsibilities of public, non-profit, and private sector institutions, four categories of factors that influence access to and use of the Internet are identified and discussed at length. These factors include: the technical characteristics of information technologies; user preferences for information resources; the institutional arrangements that define, govern, and constrain provider/user relationships; and psychological factors affecting information processing.