DIGITAL INCLUSION IN E-GOVERNANCE: A CASE STUDY OF YOUTHS IN MACAU

ABSTRACT

THIS DISSERTATION EXPLORES MACAO RESIDENTS' EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES  REGARDING MACAO'S PUBLIC POLICIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IT DELVES INTO  RESIDENTS' VIEWPOINTS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, THE  LAYOUT AND CONVENIENCE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS CHARGING STATIONS AND DESIGNATED  PARKING SPACES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, AND THEIR ACTUAL EXPERIENCES AND FEEDBACK WHILE  USING ELECTRIC CARS. THIS STUDY IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT PROVIDES VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO  MACAO RESIDENTS' FUNDAMENTAL ATTITUDES AND NEEDS TOWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICIES AND  PUBLIC FACILITIES. BY UNDERSTANDING THESE PERSPECTIVES, POLICYMAKERS CAN MAKE MORE  INFORMED DECISIONS TO OPTIMIZE ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICIES AND IMPROVE PUBLIC FACILITIES,  ULTIMATELY PROMOTING THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE MARKET IN MACAO  AND FACILITATING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A GREEN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.  IN TERMS OF RESEARCH METHODS, THIS STUDY PRIMARILY EMPLOYED QUESTIONNAIRES TO  COLLECT DATA FROM ROAD USERS IN MACAO. THE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE DESIGNED TO GATHER  COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON THEIR EXPERIENCES AND FEEDBACK RELATED TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE  POLICIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND USAGE.  THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY ARE INTRIGUING. FIRSTLY, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MACAO  RESIDENTS HAVE A RELATIVELY LOW AWARENESS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICIES, BUT GENERALLY, THEY  BELIEVE THESE POLICIES CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. SECONDLY, REGARDING  PUBLIC FACILITIES, SOME RESIDENTS REPORTED ISSUES SUCH AS UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION AND  INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF CHARGING STATIONS, AS WELL AS INADEQUACIES IN USING AND MANAGING  DESIGNATED PARKING SPACES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES. ADDITIONALLY, RESIDENTS PROVIDED  SPECIFIC OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS REGARDING THE PURCHASE COSTS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND  GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY POLICIES. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, MY CONCLUSION IS THAT THERE IS AN  URGENT NEED TO OPTIMIZE AND IMPROVE MACAO'S ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICIES AND PUBLIC  FACILITIES. POLICYMAKERS SHOULD INCREASE PUBLICITY EFFORTS TO RAISE RESIDENTS' AWARENESS  OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE POLICIES AND REASONABLY PLAN THE LAYOUT OF CHARGING STATIONS AND  DESIGNATED PARKING SPACES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO ENHANCE THEIR CONVENIENCE AND  AVAILABILITY. FURTHERMORE, THE GOVERNMENT COULD CONSIDER PROVIDING MORE SUBSIDIES AND  PREFERENTIAL POLICIES FOR PURCHASING ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO REDUCE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON  RESIDENTS. THESE MEASURES WILL HELP PROMOTE THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE ELECTRIC  VEHICLE MARKET IN MACAO AND FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A GREEN TRANSPORTATION  SYSTEM