Intermediaries orchestrating public service networks

ABSTRACT

Many governmental agencies have created an online presence to advance their service delivery. In the next stage governmental organizations need to cooperate in public service networks to further improve their service offerings. Such networks differ from organizational hierarchies, as they involve autonomous organizations having their own interests and requirements. Public managers are looking for ways to fully exploit the advantages of web service and web service orchestration technology for improved service delivery.

This project is aimed at supporting public managers to take advantage of web services technology to coordinate public service networks. Specifically it investigates the roles of intermediary organizations in managing such networks. Preliminary results suggest that the use of web service orchestration technology requires the evolution from hierarchical to agreement-driven relationships and new types of roles and architectures are necessary to effectively coordinate networks.

REFERENCES

• 1: Jeffrey Gortmaker , Marijn Janssen , René W. Wagenaar, The advantages of web service orchestration in perspective, Proceedings of the 6th international conference on Electronic commerce, October 25-27, 2004, Delft, The Netherlands [doi>10.1145/1052220.1052284]
• 2: Janssen, M., Gortmaker, J. and Wagenaar, R. W. Web service orchestration in public administration: Challenges, roles and growth stages. Information Systems Management, 23 (2). 44--55.
• 3: Lim, B. and Wen, H. J. Web Services: An analysis of the technology, its benefits and implementation difficulties. Information Systems Management, 20 (2). 49--57.
• 4: Milward, H. B. and Provan, K. G., Managing Networks Effectively, in the 7th National Public Management Research Conference, (Georgetown University, 2003).
• 5: Provan, K. G. and Milward, H. B. A preliminary theory of network effectiveness: A comparative study of four community mental health systems. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40 (1). 1--33.
• 6: J. Leon Zhao , Hsing Kenneth Cheng, Editorial: web services and process management: a union of convenience or a new area of research?, Decision Support Systems, v.40 n.1, p.1-8, July 2005 [doi>10.1016/j.dss.2004.04.002]

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.1 Systems and Information Theory

Additional Classification:
  J. Computer Applications
  J.1 ADMINISTRATIVE DATA PROCESSING
      Subjects: Government

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
      K.6.4 System Management

General Terms:
Design, Economics, Management, Performance

Keywords:
architecture, coordination, intermediaries, network administrative organizations, orchestration, web services