How Is Information Shared across Boundaries?

The paper draws on a case study of Taiwan e-Government to explore cross-boundary information sharing in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions. The advantages and disadvantages of the different types of cross-boundary information sharing are discussed, and the influential moderators regarding what types are employed in a give situation are discussed. Two preliminary frameworks for understanding the transition among different types of cross-boundary information sharing in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions are presented. While there is no perfect type, centralization was found to be the primary strategy adopted to enhance cross-boundary information sharing in both dimensions. The relationship among the different types is also discussed. Lastly, the similarities and differences between the two major centralized types in the both dimensions are compared and analyzed.