Adoption of Interoperability Standards in Government Information Networks: An Initial Framework of Influence Factors

Increasingly, electronic governance involves multi-organisational ICT-enabled networks. A crucial requirement for such "Government Information Networks" is that the systems of their various partner organisations are interoperable. However, Government Information Networks often fail to achieve interoperability (IOP) due to lacking adoption and compliance with the necessary standards by the partner organisations in these networks. This paper therefore develops a theoretical framework on the determinants for the adoption of IOP standards by organisations in Government Information Networks. Based on a review of the relevant literature and interview data from two cases of Government Information Networks in the Netherlands, the paper identifies relevant determinants and conceptually groups them into six determinant constructs. For each of these constructs, relevant sub-constructs are specified. By identifying key adoption determinants, the framework provides a useful analytical lens for practitioners and researchers working on IOP in government