Institutional Legitimacy and Digital Public Cross-Border Service Delivery between Denmark/Sweden and Denmark/Germany

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of institutional legitimacy in the development and delivery of digital public cross-border services in the EU. The digital public cross-border services between Denmark/Sweden and Denmark/Germany are the test cases that are investigated. Empirical data was gathered from two organizations namely, Region Sønderjylland – Schleswig and the Øresunddirekt Sweden. Both organizations are informational and advisory services that promote public digital cross border services at the Danish/German and Danish/Swedish border. The findings point to institutional legitimacy promoting the development and delivery of national digital public infrastructure and service delivery. The findings also points to institutional legitimacy acting as a barrier to the development and delivery of digital public infrastructure and services across border.