How does information system success come about in inter-organizational networks of public services?

ABSTRACT

The paper investigates how information systems in inter-organizational networks can be improved over time. The paper focuses on home care services for elderly people. DeLone and McLean's conceptual model of information system success was used to understand changes in the quality of the case study information system. The analysis highlights the importance of the governance of information systems at the inter-organizational level.

IMPACTLooking at a network of home care integrated services for non self-sufficient elderly people, the authors show how an information system in an inter-organizational network can be optimised. Policy-makers and managers of municipalities, local health authorities and central/regional governments need to make sure that the information system at the inter-organizational level is properly governed and managed. In particular, it is important to agree upon the rules to be followed and the responsibilities to be assigned to the various operators involved in the process of providing data for the integrated home care services as a whole. It is vital to define ‘who does what’ to oversee the processes related to collecting, processing and sending data at the network level.

KEYWORDS:

• Governance
• information system success
• information quality
• long-term care services
• public service networks

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.