The logistics of information
management within an
eGovernment context
Amir M. Sharif and Zahir Irani
Brunel Business School, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK
Abstract
Purpose – Developments in the world of distributed computing have made possible the successful
integration of diverse information systems working in different environments. Electronic government
(eGovernment) provides governmental stakeholders with a wealth of information stored at the various
entities in the organisation. Decision makers are often overloaded with the amount of information that
they receive. Notwithstanding the logistics of information flows from government bodies to citizens,
the flow of information between various entities with national and local government organisations has
become a critical issue. As a result, this paper seeks to analyse the logistics of information
decision-making flows, within an eGovernment implementation, by modelling and extrapolating those
key decision factors via a cognitive mapping approach.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a multi-method approach in terms of
combining an empirical qualitative case study with a quantitative analytical simulation technique for
analyzing decision-making behaviour relating to policy considerations within the eGovernment realm
in a Gulf municipality, through the use of a Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) approach.
Findings – By using the FCM approach, the paper was able to highlight the unique interplay
between eGovernment stakeholders in the case context, whereby inherent relationships were shown to
exist between decision-making eGovernment stakeholders and the consumers of eGovernment
information. Thus, project management information, relationships and deployment; evaluation of
information systems, relationships and policy, change management policy and processes, system
validation, processes and deployment; and alignment with strategic eGovernment drivers, deployment
with policy are identified.
Research limitations/implications – This realisation of the demand and supply of the underlying
logistics information management needs, within an eGovernment context, provides an understanding
of the principal factors which drive and define those technological and organisational challenges
experienced by the eGovernment municipality. By exploring these factors through a combination of
qualitative discourse and quantitative simulation, it is subsequently shown that an abundance of
information exists within a seemingly placid organisational system, the basis for which resides in the
constant flow of information between and among stakeholders, processes, and systems.
Originality/value – The paper uses a combination of a qualitative case research with quantitative
analysis/simulation technique in order to identify inter-relationships in the decision-making criteria of
a Gulf-based municipality in order to shed light on the key components of their policy control.
Keywords Government, Decision making
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The continual increase in information and the problem of effectively managing and
making sense of this growing sea of data is a very real logistical problem. The amount
of information that individuals and organisations are bombarded by, be it via
electronic or other forms, is rapidly increasing year on year: the use of which is very
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1741-0398.htm
JEIM
23,6
694
Received July 2009
Revised September 2009
May 2010
Accepted July 2010
Journal of Enterprise Information
Management
Vol. 23 No. 6, 2010
pp. 694-723
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1741-0398
DOI 10.1108/17410391011088600

much determined by the way in which it is handled and organised. The authors
contend that the logistics of information management that is, the way in which
information is sourced, encoded and delivered, which is a constantly changing concept
for which, very little is understood. Indeed the authors contend that the scope of
logistics needs to be extended beyond that of mere supply chains of products and
services (Rudberg and Olhager, 2003), inwards, focussing on information specifically
(Mears-Young and Jackson, 1997). As Sharif (2002) notes, information systems, which
assist to manage and control access to and the routing of information, should inherit
characteristics which allow it to be described in terms of organisational and
inter-organisation decision-making needs (as also highlighted by Punia and Saxena,
2004). Understanding who really needs the information (applicability); where can the
information be most usefully used (potentiality); how is the information interpreted and
how does is it affected by other processes and systems (contextuality); and what is the
best way to organise, view and traverse the information (navigability).
Additionally, it is well known that public sector organisations produce vast
amounts of information, either concerning legislation and its modifications, or
governmental operations, or citizen-state transactions. This information either has the
form of legal acts published in an official gazette, information sheets/brochures that are
published for the assistance of citizens in their transactions with public services, or
public records created, circulated, and maintained by public services as evidence,
documentation, and information concerning their activities and transactions
(Prokopiadou et al., 2004). Central or regional governments are responsible for the
production and dissemination of such information. However, the information flow
procedure, i.e. from source to destination, is considered to be overcomplicated due to
the multilevel and multidimensional administrative hierarchy of the public sector.
Since national governments consist of ministries, public organizations, and other
administration authorities, every given public service has its own information
management goals and competencies. Subsequently, the method by which inbound
and outbound information from governmental to citizen level is carried out, calls for
services and associated information systems to facilitate the accurate dissemination,
usage and retrieval of required local authority information (Prokopiadou et al., 2004).
As such, the concept of electronic government (eGovernment) is a maturing field,
which seeks to provide public services, information and knowledge to citizens, utilising
existing and emerging information technologies. The pervasiveness of the worldwide
web, a growing on-line population, the ever decreasing cost of providing services
on-line, and increased public expectations on government openness and accessibility
has led to this being a prime area of interest to those in local government (Heeks, 1999).
Given the issues associated with the management and flow of information noted
previously, there is a need to understand and chart the manner and methods by which
information can be modelled logistically across a chain of stakeholder participants
within an eGovernment context. This paper seeks to achieve this aim, by analysing
and assessing the logistics of information flows and decision points within a local
authority municipality in the Middle East. Through employing a cognitive mapping, in
the guise of the Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) technique, the authors attempt to
highlight those causal interrelationships inherent in this domain context.
The logistics of
information
management
695