A Case of Affordances: Collaborative Governance Using Smartphones

This study attempts to explore the contextual factors that play a significant role in promoting collaborative governance using mobile phones in developing countries. The study utilises review of academic literature and expert opinions to identify critical conversion factors and their interrelationship. Affordance theory is used as a theoretical lens to identify eight significant factors covering development of infrastructure, citizen up-skilling, cost of access, ease of use, reliable infrastructure, ensured privacy and security, process accountability, and a standardised m-governance policy. A combination of total interpretative structure modelling (TISM) and cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis is employed to prioritise these conversion factors and classify them based on their dependence and driving power. A priority-based hierarchical model is proposed for establishing a sustainable m-governance ecosystem.