E-Government Integration and Interoperability: Framing the Research Agenda

Among the defining purposes of e-Government, highly agile, citizen-centric, accountable, transparent, effective, and efficient government operations and services have high rank. For reaching these goals, the integration of government information resources and processes, and ultimately, the interoperation of independent e-Government information systems appears essential. Yet, most integration and interoperation efforts meet serious challenges and constraints. This article contributes to the development of a research framework on integration and system interoperation in e-Government. We propose future research projects to study the foci and purposes, limitations and constraints, as well as processes and outcomes of integration and interoperation in electronic Government. For so doing, we suggest needs-and-wants theory as one promising theoretical lens (among others) for guiding that effort.