E-government interoperability

Abstract

Governments face continued pressure to increase their performance with the aim to improve efficiency and service delivery to their stakeholders, customers and citizens. To improve efficiency and performance, Governments adopt e-Government models and Information and Communication Technology (lCT) solutions as enablers and vehicles for transforming public administration. As part of the transformational process, Public Services need to transform themselves into an integrated entity that responds to the needs of its stakeholders, customers and citizens. The study sought to achieve the following objectives: To identify challenges relating to heterogeneous systems in Kenya ; To identify the forms of technical interoperability that exists within the Public Service of Kenya; To establish the factors influencing the adoption of interoperability within the Public Service of Kenya and lastly to propose a framework that will be required to establish technical interoperability to facilitate the sharing and exchange of data within the Public Service in a standardized manner. The study used a qualitative research approach of descriptive type in which explorative research was combined with case study research. As part of the explorative research process, literature study was carried .out to clarify the different aspects ' (e.g., interoperability maturity, interoperability adoption factors) of interoperability and to identify distributed 'architectural forms available for establishing interoperability. Data was gathered for Information Systems interoperability cases through semi-structured interviews from Public Service Information Technology (IT) Managers and IT Staff. The analysis findings indicated that technical interoperability was limited to a small number of public service organizations .arid that technical interoperability between Information Systems was at a low ‘Ievel of 'sophistication and compliance. The analysis findings further indicated that there was a need to increase the level of technical interoperability sophistication and compliance between Information Systems and to further Model (CAM) was developed and proposed. The model provides technical interoperability guidance through a conceptual, layered and distribution architecture. The study concludes that the Cooperative Architectural Model (CAM) .proposed in this study meets the architectural requirements identified and serves as a conceptual architectural blueprint for achieving the desired state of technical interoperability within the Public Service of Kenya.