Integrating knowledge management tools for government information

Abstract

Government information is considered to be essential for any organization's business transactions, decision making, or information rendering to citizens. However, the public sector lacks information units based on the advanced information tools and standards needed to facilitate efficient information management, flow, and exchange. Furthermore, government information is fragmented and dispersed due to (a) legislative and administrative diversity, (b) a complicated administrative hierarchy, and (c) discrepancies in policy implementation regarding the accession and exploitation of information at central, regional, and local levels. This article introduces a digital library architecture for the management and delivery of information either produced or disseminated via public services. Ontologies, taxonomies, and thesauri provide for thematic, geospatial, and administrative hierarchy representation and navigation and ensure an advanced and high-quality knowledge-based framework for information management, search, and retrieval. International standards and formats set the basis for interoperability in the midst of legislative, administrative, and geospatial information diversity.