Towards a Framework for Open Data Publishers: A Comparison Study Between Sweden and Belgium

Abstract

Public organizations in the role of publishers publish data for anyone to reuse, which can lead to benefits. However, the process descriptions for this publishing work focus on one or a few issues, which leaves out important areas and decisions. Little seems to be known about variations between publishers based on one common point of comparison. Therefore, this paper presents a comparison between two publishers: Namur (Belgium) and Linköping (Sweden). The comparison is based on a process framework, seven in-depth interviews, document studies, and a verification meeting with one respondent. We learned that the OGD manager is an agent of change who need to balance implementation and guidance, the orthodox method of e-mail registration can be used to engage users and monitor impact, the organizational unit for OGD is cross-organizational, and the publisher process framework could be used as ex-ante strategic guidelines and context-specific recommendations.

Open Government Data as a Reform and Ecosystem : A conceptual framework for evolution and health

“…OGD actors' work for an OGD ecosystem requires certain conditions (e.g., APIs and open licenses), which they can transform from other conditions (Zuiderwijk, Janssen, and Davis, 2014;Crusoe and Ahlin, 2019b;Crusoe, Simonofski, and Clarinval, 2020). This work is based on assumed solutions that are believed to contribute to the higher purpose of an OGD reform, which could be to resolve a societal problem or improve a society (see Section 2.3).…”

“…In this structure, the OGD reform provides top-down leeway 5.1. A Reciprocal Structure of an OGD Reform and an OGD Ecosystem (freedom to act within certain limitations (Leeway 2021)) and a higher purpose (e.g., Tauberer and Lessig, 2007;Sunlight Foundation, 2014;Open Data Charter, 2015), while the OGD ecosystem evolves and becomes from the bottom-up to realize this purpose (Crusoe and Ahlin, 2019b;Crusoe, Simonofski, and Clarinval, 2020). The leeway and the higher purpose determine the meaning of good and bad health for an OGD ecosystem.…”

“…Providers share data following some OGD principles. This work requires them to perform functions of acquiring and providing data (Crusoe, Simonofski, and Clarinval, 2020). For example, the Swedish National Space Agency acquired some of its data from the European Copernicus program.…”

“…An OGD ecosystem coalesces when nodes and their flows realize the higher purpose of an OGD reform. The flows exist between nodes (e.g., data production, data processing, and data provision) and meander distribution systems (e.g., the Internet) (Kalampokis, Tambouris, and Tarabanis, 2011a;Van Schalkwyk, Willmers, and McNaughton, 2016;Crusoe, Zuiderwijk, and Melin, 2020 (Crusoe, Simonofski, and Clarinval, 2020). I could download its data without physically visiting its server using the Internet and my computer.…”

“…A function could be to download data manually and store them locally, to retrieve, clean them automatically, and store them, or to present a searchable list of data with metadata. I note that conditions populate much of the attention of OGD actors, as the OGD actors transform and work based on the conditions (Kucera, Chlapek, Klímek, and Necaskỳ, 2015;Charalabidis et al, 2018;Crusoe and Ahlin, 2019b;Crusoe, Simonofski, and Clarinval, 2020;Crusoe, 2021a). In my empirical material, an enricher participated at Hack for Sweden in 2017 for a weekend.…”