Celene Navarrete

Multinational E-Government Collaboration, Information Sharing, and Interoperability: An Integrative Model

Several known factors impact collaboration whenever multiple public organizations engage in information sharing and interoperability initiatives. However, few analyses exist on how to cope with the challenges faced in inter-organizational collaborations across nations. Based on the literatures on networked government, inter-organizational collaboration, information integration, and border theory, this paper presents a framework that integrates important factors, which are proposed to affect multinational e-government collaboration, information sharing, and interoperability. The main contribution of this conceptual paper is to connect existing theoretical models as a basis to initially explain and to guide planned empirical research on the phenomena of multinational e-government collaborative networks and information sharing initiatives across national borders.

Digital Government in North America: A Comparative Analysis of Policy and Program Priorities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States

International digital government research has increased in the last 10 years. However, international research comparing or analyzing relevant problems for the North American region is scarce. In an effort to lay the foundation for new research in the context of North America, this chapter presents a comparative analysis of policy and program priorities of digital government in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Common themes in the agendas of the three countries include services to the citizen, improved government operations, transparency, connectivity, and economic development. Main differences can be explained on the basis of differences in development. In general, we could say that the US government is renewing its e-government agenda, as a component of a wider innovation system. The government of Canada is also in a refreshing process, but more directed to consolidate a digital architecture for government services and operations, and Mexico is in the process of consolidating a digital government program.

Research group on digital government in North America: a comparative and transnational agenda

This panel is a final report of the North American Digital Government Working Group (NADGWG). This group was formed in 2007 to advance electronic government research across geographic and political boundaries in the region. The panel will start with the introduction of the Comparative Transnational Research Agenda that was created by this working group as a result of their research collaboration. The agenda outlines a culturally sensitive research design strategy and a process for developing research grant proposals in a multi-national context with multi-national research teams. Next, panelists from each of the sub-teams will present a brief description of the evolution of the work in 3 projects. Panelists will share insights from these streams of work that resulted in funded projects.

A Bridge Home: The Use of the Internet by Transnational Communities of Immigrants

For decades transnational communities of immigrants have used various forms of communication to maintain ties with their places of origin. The Internet constitutes an alternative medium through which the sense of community (SOC) can be reinforced and maintained across time and space. Transnational communities of immigrants are creating and enhancing virtual spaces for (re)creating and maintaining a SOC across national borders. This paper reviews research from different disciplines to understand how the Internet is shaping the ability of dispersed national groups to create, preserve and extend their SOC in virtual spaces. The theory of SOC applied to virtual communities provides the frame of reference in which this phenomenon is analysed. Based on our analysis of the literature we argue that the unique characteristics of communities of immigrants — such as shared histories, experiences, common country of origin, and offline interaction — shape the nature and dynamics of their interactions online.