Development and Implementation of Interoperability Standards for Electronic Government: a Case Study of the Brazilian e-PING Framework

Though it may seem commonsensical that interoperability standards play an important role in systems integration and information sharing within the environment of electronic government, establishing these standards is no easy task. This process is highly complex due to the number of participating agents, the environment in which it takes place and the interrelation between the agents and the environment, not to mention the likely conflicts of interests connected with this interrelation. It is also believed that the affected agents’ perception of the relevance and the legitimacy of the defined specifications may influence the latter’s adoption. Based on these assumptions, this paper analyses the development and implementation processes of standards for electronic government from the standpoint of Institutional Theory. It presents the preliminary findings of an exploratory qualitative case study, based on document analysis and semi-structured interviews, of the framework interoperability specified by the Brazilian Federal Government (e-PING). The results point out some of the institutionalization processes and legitimacy mechanisms that are being used by the government in the establishment of those standards and the likely implications of those actions for full compliance with the said standards

Interactive Digital Artifacts Embedded in Information Systems: a case study applied to Teledentistry

This paper aims to study how to embed interactive digital artifacts (such as blogs, wikis, videos, images, etc.) in information systems. These artifacts are unstable and in constant change challenging the traditional approaches to the management of information systems to which they are integrated. Institutions can no longer be seen as closed systems, but shall be construed as environments that expand in information networks and interaction and collaboration spaces for groups and society. Consequently, they become subject to interference from their cultural, behavioral, social and political environment. This research will focus on a case of a nation-wide information system for education, sharing of knowledge and assistance to dental professionals within government health teams. The expected contribution is a better understanding of the changes brought about in organizations and in information systems management processes resulting from the incorporation of interactive digital artifacts to those systems