Classification Schemes for Open Government Data Provision
Wolfgang Palka, Marlen Jurisch, Maximilian Leicht, Petra Wolf and Helmut Krcmar Chair for Information Systems, Technische Universität München, Germany palka @ in. tum. de jurisch @ in. tum. de leicht @ in. tum. de wolf @ in. tum. de krcmar @ in. tum. de
Abstract: Recent studies show that open government data( OGD) initiatives are gaining more and more attention among public administrations worldwide. However, although the attention for OGD provision increases, no guidelines exist that depicts the crucial elements for OGD provision via web portals and enables that in a systematic manner. The purpose of this paper is to classify the crucial elements for OGD implementation and provision. The outcomes are three classification schemes developed by using the creativity technique of morphological boxes: one for the strategic and two for the operational dimension. This classification is grounded in the results of a multiple case study analysis and relevant literature. The classification schemes provide a structured overview of the characteristics which have to be considered when implementing and operating an OGD portal. Thus, the schemes can serve as an aid for making decisions as well as for designing the necessary portal elements. Moreover, they prepare ground for further research in this emerging field.
Keywords: classification scheme, open government data, open government, multiple case study analysis, morphological box
1. Introduction
Open government has the potential to address three major objectives of public administration: raising both economic and social benefits, and fostering stronger democracy with citizen participation( Francoli 2011). While early discussions on open government focused on freeing up government information, current discussions focus on increased transparency, participation, and collaboration( Ganapati & Reddick 2012; Scholl & Luna‐Reyes 2011).
To enable these values of open government to the stakeholders in public administration, the provision of open government data( OGD) is indispensable. In making these data available for public consumption, public administrations or third parties implement and operate open government data( OGD) portals. These portals provide personal access( single point of access) to the data of the public administrations( Großmann & Koschek 2005). The data on OGD portals provide the basis for the development of innovative value‐added services( Ganapati & Reddick 2012). Many public administrations or third parties have implemented OGD portals( McDermott 2010). In addition, recent studies show that OGD initiatives are gaining more and more attention among public administrations worldwide( Ganapati & Reddick 2012). However, although the attention to OGD provision increases, no systematic guidelines exist that specify the critical elements for OGD implementation and provision via web portals. This leads us to the formulation of the following research question:“ What are the critical elements necessary to implement and provide OGD portals?”
To answer this research question, we classify the critical elements for OGD implementation and provision into three classification schemes: one for the strategic and two for the operational dimension of OGD. This classification is grounded in the results of a multiple case study analysis( Francoli 2011) and relevant literature. We developed these classification schemes by using the creativity technique of morphological boxes as proposed by Zwicky( 1966). The classification schemes provide a structured overview of the characteristics which must considered when implementing and operating an OGD portal. In this way, the schemes serve as an aid for making decisions as well as for designing the necessary portal elements.
The paper makes one principal contribution. The classification schemes illustrate the elements necessary to provide OGD via web portals in a systematic manner. Thus, the proposed schemes help researchers and practitioners to better understand the components of OGD via web portals. In addition, the classification schemes illustrate the various approaches to provide OGD web portals. The schemes prepare the ground for further research in this emerging field, especially for quantitative research.
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