3 research outputs found
A Strategic Analysis Framework
Government data has been accumulated for centuries in protected repositories and registries as public
record and a matter of civil order. Recently, the Open Government Data (OGD) movement has emerged as
a group that focuses on facilitating open access to government data. Proponents of OGD initiatives argue
that it can strengthen democracy and improve government through increased participation, collaboration
and transparency. OGD advocates are also motivated by its potential contribution to greater productivity
and economic growth through increased government efficiency and the creation of new businesses and
services. However, as most OGD initiatives are relatively recent, the key questions regarding the value
propositions and return on investment of these initiatives remain unanswered. In this theory
development paper, we propose a strategic options framework that offers criteria for generating and
prioritizing OGD initiatives. The framework can guide structured analysis of the economic and social
impacts of OGD with an emphasis on its value propositions for both the public and private sectors.
Building on a literature review and fieldwork-based anecdotal evidence, we expect OGD initiatives to
generate value and substantial returns through increased transparency, efficiency of government
activities, citizen participation and entrepreneurial activity
Uncovering the Generative Mechanisms of Open Data through a Mixed Methods Approach
The impact of the digital revolution on our societies can be compared to the ripples
caused by a stone thrown in water: spreading outwards and affecting a larger and larger
part of our lives with every year that passes. One of the many effects of this revolution
is the emergence of an already unprecedented amount of digital data that is
accumulating exponentially. Moreover, a central affordance of digitization is the
ability to distribute, share and collaborate, and we have thus seen an “open theme”
gaining currency in recent years.
These trends are reflected in the explosion of Open Data Initiatives (ODIs) around the
world. However, while hundreds of national and local governments have established
open data portals, there is a general feeling that these ODIs have not yet lived up to
their true potential. This feeling is not without good reason; the recent Open Data
Barometer report highlights that strong evidence on the impacts of open government
data is almost universally lacking (Davies, 2013). This lack of evidence is
disconcerting for government organizations that have already expended money on
opening data, and might even result in the termination of some ODIs. This lack of
evidence also raises some relevant questions regarding the nature of value generation
in the context of free data and sharing of information over networks. Do we have the
right methods, the right intellectual tools, to understand and reflect the value that is
generated in such ecosystems