Abstract : Government remains essential in the Information Age society. Although there is debate over structure and operation, government's objectives are indisputable: maintaining collective security, administering justice, providing the institutional infrastructure of the economy, ensuring that vital social capital is enhanced through improvements in health and education and through strong families and communities. In its role as a service provider, government needs to be fully capable of delivering high quality, effective, affordable services. However, in cases where government itself is not the best delivery vehicle, it must engage or allow others in the voluntary and profit-making sectors to carry out this role. Information technology, already an essential part of government operations, will continue to be vitally important to administration, decision making, and direct service delivery. It will also be critical in the evolving relationships between government and other kinds of organizations, and between government and citizens.