Boosting Government Performance with Open Source Software? – A Roadmap for Germany

Abstract

Governments face a considerable pressure from all directions: budget restrictions, citizens’ expectations, demographical trends, local competition from surrounding areas – to name just a few. EGovernment is regarded as an imminent tool to tackle many of these challenges. Obviously, IT itself is object of increasing complexity, constant change and financial implications. This paper outlines how the federal German government follows a strategic roadmap for eGovernment by shaping the objectives and goals for IT expansion. We discuss the role of open source software and how new approaches for software development can turn the ambitious aims into reality.