Evaluating multi-dimensional risk for digital services in smart cities

Abstract

In current times, emerging economies are providing digital services to its citizen through public or private organization. Literature indicates that digital services are facing major challenges with respect to its adoption among relevant users groups, largely due to the perceived risks surrounding digital services. A purposive sampling methodology was adopted for the empirical validation of the framework among user groups. With the use of Generalized Analytic Network Process (GANP), prioritization of different dimensions of risk has been illustrated. The result indicates that dimensions like privacy risk, performance risk and financial risk are the most important risk across digital services models. However physical risk, social risk, psychological risk and time risk are comparatively less important risk across digital services. This research also finds out that the end users are reluctant to provide their personal information. The sample size is relatively small which limits generalizability of results. However an application of GANP has been showcased for empirical research. The research outcome can help managers in deciding which dimensions of risk are more important for digital service delivery. This study focuses on the different facets of risk perceived by consumers towards the digital services available in smart cities. Perceived risk dimensions like privacy risk, performance risk, financial risk, physical risk, social risk, psychological risk and time risk, have shown that there is a need to prioritize these risk to the digital services which is offered to the residents of the smart cities.