1. Introduction -- Section I: Governmental Intervention and Implementation of EDI -- 2. Government Intervention in the Diffusion of EDI: Goals and Conflicts -- 3. Societal Factors and the Diffusion of EDI -- 4. EDI in the Public Sector: Building on Lessons from the Private Sector -- 5. Stakeholder Analysis in Health Interorganizational Systems: The case of NHSnet -- Section II: Organizational Transformation Using EDI -- 6. A British EDI Initiative in the Health Sector -- 7. Government and Private Sector Perspectives of EDI: The Case of TradeNet -- 8. Reengineering with EDI: A Trojan Horse in Circumventing Non-tariff Barriers to Trade -- Section III: EDI in Local Government -- 9. EDI in the Danish Health Sector: A Public Administration Perspective on a Regional Health Data Network -- 10. EDI and Public Procurement: How EDI Affects the Working Procedures of Public Procurement -- 11. EDI, Information Processing and Issues of Governance: The Informational Character of UK Local Government -- Section IV: Societal Issues of EDI -- 12. EDI and Internet Data Security: For the Courts, Criminal Justice Agencies and the Public -- 13. EDI in the Public Sector: The Danish INFO-Society 2000 Plan and the Democratic Route to Informate the Public Sector -- 14. Conclusions: An Analysis of the Contributions on EDI and Data Networking in the Public Sector -- References.

When researching, teaching or working with information systems in the public sector, one is left with few or often no textbooks that provide useful case studies or surveys on the implementation and effects of integrating information technologies in the organizations' operations. This is surprising since in most first world countries the public sector consumes a substantial part of the gross national product. Even more astonishing is the vast amount of financial and organizational resources that are spent developing and implementing various information systems. We decided to write this book to provide information for those studying information systems at business schools, information and computer departments at collegesl universities, and for those working hands-on with EDI and data networking in public administration. Thus, our primary target groups for this book are professionals, training (MA-courses), computer science, MBA, MP A, and political science. EDI has been seen as a means to wire the various policy areas in the public sector. Those included are not limited strictly to the public organizations, but extend to their trade partners. Also, government has sought ways to stimulate the usage of ED I in the private sector beyond those transactions involving direct communication with the public sector. In this book, we have contributors from eight countries and a total of 14 chapters reporting on issues of importance when developing and implementing EDI, when government wants to stimulate the diffusion of EDI in society, and when organizations want to address the impact of their investments in ED!.