Summing Up: Understanding EA Management and Implementation in Government

My recent study of EA management and implementation in government illustrates the importance of understanding EAGov from an IS and e-government perspective. The e-government field emphasizes the distinct characteristics of government coordination and maturity stages that now call for vertical and horizontal back-office integration. And the IS literature emphasizes how IS researchers in the past have theorized about the global planning of IS in organizations. EA is not a new phenomenon with no heritage. EA stands on the shoulders of many years of IS research and it is important to acknowledge this heritage and not to let ourselves be blinded by the flashy, one-dimensional consultancy reports when we manage and implement EA’s in government. The e-government literature must study government in a systems perspective (cf. Grönlund & Horan, 2005) that emphasizes the importance of interoperability, standards, change management and reorganization when we want to improve the social aspects of e-government and strengthen the relation between government and citizens.
Many governments around the world are establishing EA programs to deal with interoperability and integration issues. The question is whether EA is the right medicine for public organizations. Rigorous EA frameworks, vague definitions and organizational adoption are some of the largest challenges. There are no guaranties for success. Tomorrow’s EA programs in government must encompass public sector dynamics (and limitations) as well as being agile in the application of interoperable e-government services.