Cross-Agency Collaboration in New Zealand: An Empirical Study of Information Sharing Practices, Enablers and Barriers in Managing for Shared Social Outcomes

Improving cross-agency information sharing is at the heart of service transformation efforts to provide more effective services to individuals with complex social needs. So far, however, there is not much empirical research available on cross-agency information sharing. This article explores New Zealand-based cross-agency information sharing practices, with a specific focus on information sharing enablers and barriers in multi-agency collaborative initiatives aimed at achieving integrated social service provision. Empirical findings show the importance of personal data protection and trust in cross-agency information sharing in the New Zealand context; a distinction being made between “hard” and “soft” information; agencies having different information needs and requirements; clear differences in information sharing practices and procedures between agencies with a public service mandate and those with a public safety mandate; the contribution of information sharing protocols and co-location to effective i...