Information Polity

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-190004

Zuiderwijk, Anneke; Hinnant, Charles C.

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-190160

This section presents a selection of papers on open data policy-making from the 19th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research 2018 (dg.o 2018). To position the research discussed in this section meaningfully, our introductory article aims to create an overview of the state-of-the-art of open data policy-making research and to derive an emerging research agenda from this overview. We found that much research has been done in the field of open data in the past few decades. However, the number of conducted systematic literature reviews concerning open data research is limited and literature reviews that have included aspects related to open data policy-making are even more rare. Our analysis of eight systematic literature review articles that include the topic of open data policy-making shows that these articles contain four main content-related elements: open data policy-making, a discussion of open data policy-making research, theory used in open data policy-making research and suggested areas for future research about open data policy-making. We discuss each of these areas and we outline emerging research directions categorized by three main topics: 1) open data policy-making and theory development, 2) open data policy-making effects, and 3) open data policy-making from a multi-actor perspective. Finally, we provide an overview of the papers included in this section on open data policy-making.

Yoon, Sang-Pil; Joo, Moon-Ho; Kwon, Hun-Yeong

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-180103

With increasing importance of data, the interest in the availability of public sector information (PSI) has also increased. Because of its public attributes, PSI directly impacts the national administration as well as the lives of citizens. With the changing technological environment, the value of data is observed to change along with the manner in which data exist and the manner in which data are handled. Further, the usage of PSI should be easy and safe in the age of open data. The relation between the state and citizen with respect to PSI should also be re-established. Therefore, the following questions arise: what is the new-era governmental role in PSI use? What is the policy direction that will ultimately guarantee the right to use PSI?South Korea (hereinafter referred to as “Korea”) has one of the highest levels of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, and considerable amount of data has been collected through government-led policies. Because of such policies, Korea has demonstrated excellence in the United Nation’s e-government survey, ITU (International Telecommunication Union)’s ICT development index, and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)’s public data openness index. Korea is currently working on further upgrading its data policy to achieve data-based innovation throughout the country. Thus, the current situations that are faced by Korea and their case studies can be good subjects for research, advancing the innovation of PSI management and activating the right to use of PSI.Hence, based on the awareness of the problem, this study sought to introduce the key tasks of future data policies and propose the future direction of the PSI policy. Therefore, this study demonstrated based on the media theory that the management method of PSI changed according to the advancing technology. In addition, this study analyzed the nature of the legal relation that appears with a change in data management and attempted to derive the role of the government to enforce the law ultimately. To do this, we analyzed the role of the government as a data manager and the role of the law as the coordinator of legal rights. Also, by examining the changes in Korea’s PSI policies and the responses experienced by Korea, we determined the essential elements that should be considered by the government for developing future data policies.Thus, the governments should be able to actively support the reuse of data and the participation of stakeholders; the law should go a step further and provide the basis for governments to actively encourage the use of PSI, protect privacy and security, and solve the disputes that arise in the overall process. Thus, the key elements of data management in the future will be the quality of data (accuracy and reliability), standardization of the data form (compatibility and availability), and data security (safety).This research results can be used as guidelines by the government; however, it has limitations in that it provides only key elements to increase citizen’s right to use PSI in the open data era. After Korea’s data usage legislation (the Legislation of Promotion of Data-based Administration) is implemented based on the above factors, new results can be derived through comparative analysis with the PSI policies that have been established overseas.

Kurtz, Lahis Pasquali; Santos, Paloma Maria; Rover, Aires José

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-180104

We discuss how Brazilian Judicial branch websites have been adapted in face of the necessity to comply with open data guidelines of Access to Information Act (In Portuguese, Lei de Acesso à Informação – LAI). We introduce the idea of social control potential brought by information and communication technologies (ICT). Then, we present a comparative analysis between data collected in 2013 and 2017 with a structured form to check on websites of main Brazilian Superior Courts. The focus was on availability and quality of data about the courts’ activities, management, finances and requests for information. The results highlight changes on those aspects over time: improvements on public data disclosure and problems not solved or which have emerged. One hypothesis is that manager’s culture has more impact than the existence of top-down regulations on access to information, as well as a lack of considering myths and barriers to open data when it comes to making sense of data disclosure and citizen’s perspective. We suggest that continued studies, replicating the observations over time, could be useful to keep up with analyzing the level of adoption of ICT as transparency tools by judicial institutions.

Luna-Reyes, Luis F.; Najafabadi, Mahdi M.

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-180106

The last decade as witnessed the development of Open Government Data programs with the promise of improved transparency, accountability and innovation. Capitalizing on those benefits translates into the development of better public policy and the promotion of economic development. Research in the domain has emphasized on technical issues, and we still lack a clear understanding of the main conditions to promote successful Open Government Data programs. Using the experience of the US Federal Government, including projects in 5 federal agencies, we contribute to the literature by stressing the importance of OGD policies, stakeholder communities and data management practices. Future research should focus on the understanding on governance and leadership models that enable effective implementation of the programs and engagement with relevant stakeholders and domain specific communities.

Abella, Alberto; Ortiz-de-Urbina-Criado, Marta; De-Pablos-Heredero, Carmen

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-180116

Smart cities are urban spaces where massive amounts of data are generated and shared creating an ecosystem of service providers. Translating these opportunities into appropriate citizen services requires diagnosis of citizen’s expectations and a projection of the value that these services can generate for them. This article offers a methodology that provides a systematic approach to understand the interaction between citizens and services aimed to improve the design of smart city services and presents a pilot test. The four-phased methodology results in a description of the service, a model to evaluate it and offers quantitative indicators to operate and to improve the design of the service.

Fathejalali, Arman; Jain, Angela

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-180096

In recent decades, the focus of public participation in urban planning and development has shifted from IF to HOW citizen involvement can be realized. Additionally, diffusion of information and communication technology (ICT) and the recent advancement of mobile devices have altered the ways citizens can interact with others and with their urban environment. This article endeavors to explore and critically discuss the practical potentials and limitations of mobile participation (as an emerging field of electronic participation) based on the example of the FlashPoll app (www.flashpoll.eu). It also debates its possible contribution to a higher level of participation quality.Key points for practitioners:This paper elaborates the following points for practitioners: Characteristics of mobile partici- pation, its practical benefits and barriers as well as the contribution of mParticipation in processes of citizens involvement, including quality aspects, challenges and opportunities.

2019 Information Polity

doi: 10.3233/IP-190003