Integration and Information Sharing in E-Government

Abstract

Citizens around the globe are demanding better services and more responsiveness from their local, state, and national governments. Governments are responding to this challenge by implementing a vast range of information technologies (IT) that crosses departmental and organizational boundaries. Integration and information sharing among government agencies have the potential to increase the productivity and performance of government operations, improve policy-making, and provide better services to citizens (Akbulut, 2003; Dawes, 1996; Landsbergen & Wolken, 2001). For example, September 11, 2001 terrorist-related events have shown the importance of integration and information sharing among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in order to protect the safety of citizens by combating crime and terrorism. As Whiting and Chabrow (2001) pointed out, “The intelligence gaps among law enforcement agencies became obvious in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Two of the suspected hijackers, for example, reportedly were on an INS watch list. But that information never found its way to the Federal Aviation Administration…” (p. 2). As the investigation into these attacks continues, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs Service, the INS, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, as well as other law enforcement and intelligence agencies are trying to share information on an extraordinary scale.