Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1 information technology department, faculty of technology and industrial management, university of tehran, tehran, iran
2 Faculty of entrepreneurship, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Purpose: Providing high-quality and efficient public services remains a fundamental challenge for modern governments. Many inefficiencies in public sector management stem from the misalignment between governance structures and the needs and lifestyles of citizens. Key challenges include bureaucratic complexities, unnecessary administrative processes, prolonged service delivery times, the dispersion of services across multiple government agencies, and insufficient financial resources for large-scale public projects.
In this context, inter-organizational collaboration has emerged as a crucial enabler for achieving an integrated e-government. Such collaboration can help address inefficiencies and transform the public sector into a more responsive and integrated entity. Information Technology (IT) plays a pivotal role in this process by enhancing coordination among organizations and facilitating the seamless integration of services.
The objective of this study is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the formation of an inter-organizational collaboration ecosystem and to model their interrelationships in the delivery of IT-driven e-government services. By identifying and structuring these antecedent factors, this research contributes to the theoretical and practical advancement of collaborative e-government ecosystems and offers strategies to optimize such collaborations.
Design/ methodology/ approach: This study adopts a fundamental-applied research approach. In the first phase, a systematic literature review was conducted using the meta-synthesis method to identify the antecedents of inter-organizational collaboration in the period 1990–2023. This method is a qualitative research method aimed at systematically reviewing, integrating, and synthesizing findings from multiple qualitative studies to develop new insights. Subsequently, the relationships among these antecedents were analyzed using the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and MICMAC (Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification) approach.
Research Findings: A total of 22 antecedents of IT-enabled inter-organizational collaboration ecosystem formation were identified and classified into four categories: intra-organizational capabilities, inter-organizational capabilities, external motivation, and internal motivation. The ISM-based modeling classified these antecedents into four hierarchical levels of influence. Legitimacy acquisition and prior experience and knowledge were identified as the most fundamental antecedents at the first level. Legitimacy acquisition serves as a prerequisite for organizations to enter the collaboration ecosystem, which can be achieved through legal endorsements, governmental support, and public trust. Likewise, prior experience and knowledge in collaboration and new technologies were recognized as crucial enablers, which can be gained through past projects, research, and training initiatives. Cluster analysis further categorized these two factors as driving forces, indicating their high level of influence on other antecedents. The remaining factors were classified as linking factors, suggesting their moderate influence and dependency within the ecosystem.
Limitations & Consequences: The study identifies the antecedents of inter-organizational collaboration based on a review of leading e-government and information systems journals. Consequently, the findings may not be directly generalizable to other academic domains. Moreover, the research focuses on public service delivery in Iran, which may limit its applicability to other geographical contexts. Future studies could validate and extend these findings in different national and organizational settings to enhance generalizability.
Practical Consequences: In Iran, government organizations invest significantly in developing internal IT capabilities. However, few organizations possess the necessary interoperability and network readiness to participate in an inter-organizational collaboration ecosystem using inter-organizational information systems (IOSs). The study identifies legitimacy acquisition and prior experience and knowledge as the most influential antecedents. Establishing a robust collaboration ecosystem for public service delivery requires enhancing inter-organizational system interoperability, strengthening organizational commitment, improving interpersonal relationships, fostering inter-organizational trust, creating competitive advantages, and ensuring strategic alignment, ultimately leading to integrated e-government services.
Innovation or value of the Article: While the inter-organizational collaboration ecosystem has been extensively explored in the business and entrepreneurial domains, this study uniquely examines its formation in the public sector. Additionally, the research incorporates hierarchical modeling of antecedents, capturing their interdependencies and dynamic relationships, which adds to its novelty and theoretical contribution.
Paper Type: Original Paper
Keywords