Government operates with in strict constitutional framework. Total integration and interoperability between systems may be outright unconstitutional because of the constitutional provision of separation of power among different branches of government. Thus legal, political, regulatory, economical factors constitute the environment within which e-government operates and these factors influence interoperability efforts and its outcome. For example governments come out with legal and policy frameworks to protect citizens’ privacy and these frameworks in turn limit types of information that can be shared between agencies.
Published in Chapter:
Interoperability and Constituents of Interoperable Systems in Public Sector
Dibakar Ray (National Informatics Centre, India), Umesh Gulla (GGS Indraprastha University, India), M. P. Gupta (Indian Institute of Technology, India), and Shefali S. Dash (National Informatics Centre, India)
Copyright: © 2009
|Pages: 21
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-390-6.ch010
Abstract
This chapter, based on analysis of literature, introduces a definition and a layered architecture for government information systems. It argues that the interoperability of information systems is essential in providing integrated government services, but unfortunately there is no consensus on what interoperability is and what constitutes interoperable information systems. By analysing available academic literature and government reports on interoperability, the authors have attempted to address this problem. Based on the study, a comprehensive definition of interoperability is presented here. Further, the authors have identified four constituents of interoperable system and finally, a layered architecture for interoperability of government information systems has been presented. The authors believe that an unambiguous definition and clear idea about constituent of interoperability would remove much confusion in conceptualisation, design, and development of interoperable systems in government.