Utility of Open Government Data for PhD students in India

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 122-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Research Work ◽  
North India ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
Government Websites ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the utility of Open Government Data (OGD) from the perspective of the PhD students in India. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews are conducted with 68 PhD students in India to solicit their perspectives regarding the utility of OGD for them. Convenience and snowball sampling was used for contacting the PhD students and the study was conducted among students of North India who are from public and private universities. Findings While some PhD students tap OGD for their research work, others use OGD as informational tools for broadening their general knowledge. There are also some PhD students who do not use OGD at all. There are challenges associated with OGD usage by the PhD students. For instance, the outdated and incomplete data available on the government websites prevent their optimum use. Likewise, information available on the government websites needs to be revised on a regular basis for proper utilization in research. Research limitations/implications The study approached PhD students for seeking their perspectives about OGD utility and further research is required with a large number of respondents. Nevertheless, the study leaves social and practical implications because while the study leaves insights for more involvement of PhD students in tapping OGD for their research, it also leaves recommendations for the policy-makers to take a pro-active stance by providing data sets regularly and accurately for improving government efficiency in public service delivery. Originality/value Hitherto, conceptual and theory-driven research on OGD has been undertaken and case study-based research works have been conducted to assess the challenges and prospects of OGD implementation in Western settings. Furthermore, prior research has solicited perspectives from stakeholders like public officials, politicians or citizens to investigate the difficulties in OGD use and policy-implementation. Identifying the research gaps in extant literature with respect to the aforesaid dimensions, this is the first study where the perspectives of Indian PhD students have been recorded in terms of the utility of OGD in research and other purposes.

The impact of open government data on accountability and transparency

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 204-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Saxena ◽  
Irfan Muhammad
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Accountability, citizen participation and transparency are the three pillars on which open government data (OGD) is based. As such, OGD implies that the government shall provide data freely via the internet so that the same may be re-used for diverse purposes. It is hoped that by re-using government data, public value shall be co-created and government services might be improved upon with the involvement of different stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to underline the impact of OGD on accountability and transparency in the context of Pakistan where OGD initiative is taking roots for quite some time now. In the present study, the authors seek to investigate the challenges being faced by the professionals in the private sector and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in Pakistan. Besides, the authors also seek inputs from the respondents in the manner in which OGD initiative of Pakistan has impact on ensuring accountability and transparency. Design/methodology/approach For conducting the review of the national OGD portal of Pakistan, the authors invoke documentary analysis wherein the authors investigate the features of the national OGD portal of Pakistan. Furthermore, the authors conducted structured interviews with 49 senior management representatives from private sector and NGOs in order to gauge the challenges encountered by them in tapping OGD from diverse online public sources. Findings Respondents aver that robust statistical analysis is not feasible via the data sets being shared by the online sources. More initiatives are required on the part of the government bodies to release the data sets which have remained confined in silos. Government should institutionalize an OGD policy and promote the re-use of OGD by the professionals from diverse backgrounds. At present, only educational data are being shared by the OGD portal of Pakistan and it is important that more data sets are being released in the public domain. Furthermore, the respondents perceive that in a bid to be more accountable and transparent, the government bodies should release data sets via the online channels which are user-friendly. Research limitations/implications The present study conducted a qualitative research where the number of respondents was relatively less. Further research is required by adopting quantitative approach in order to accommodate more respondents and lend reliability to the study. Nevertheless, the study holds implications for academicians and practitioners in the sense that while it is needed that further research be conducted on the OGD initiative of Pakistan, it is imperative that policy makers get involved in institutionalizing the OGD initiative of Pakistan at national and local levels. Social implications Professionals might be better involved in creating and co-creating products and services by tapping OGD. Originality/value Given that OGD initiative in Pakistan is in a nascent stage and research is wanting in exploring the nature and scope of Pakistan’s OGD, the present study seeks to contribute toward the existing OGD literature.

The importance of open government data for the private sector and NGOs in Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agus Hermanto ◽  
Solimun Solimun ◽  
Adji Achmad Rinaldo Fernandes ◽  
Wahyono Wahyono ◽  
Zulkarnain Zulkarnain
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Key Management ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Government

PurposeOpen government data (OGD) is making data available free to all by the government with the aim of ensuring accountability and transparency in government besides generating public value by its usage. OGD is an emerging government initiative in Indonesia and there is potential for harnessing OGD for spearheading innovation and improvising services in different economic sectors. This paper aims to investigate the usage of OGD in the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Indonesia.Design/methodology/approachDocumentary analysis was conducted to review the national OGD portal of Indonesia. Structured interviews were conducted with 49 senior management representatives from the private sector and NGOs to solicit their perspectives regarding the usage of OGD for professional purposes. Also, questions were posed regarding the challenges in harnessing OGD for professional purposes.FindingsOGD has immense potential for private sector and NGOs; however, more initiatives are required on the part of the government to open their data sets. Further, involvement of stakeholders from the private sector and NGOs and other interested partners is required for an optimum usage of OGD in different economic sectors of Indonesia.Research limitations/implicationsAs the research focuses on the private sector and NGOs in Indonesia, the study requires a more broad-based approach to consider the perspectives of different users. Further research is required to appreciate the role of contextual factors in determining the usage of OGD in Indonesia.Originality/valueThe study is one of the first to be conducted in Indonesia about the OGD initiatives of the country. Soliciting views from the key management representatives in the private sector and NGOs, the paper contributes to the extant OGD literature, which is more supply-focused and not demand-driven. While conceding that there are ample usages of OGD for the different economic sectors, the paper underlines the need for refining the OGD initiatives of Indonesia.

Barriers to use open government data in private sector and NGOs in Pakistan

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Saxena ◽  
Irfan Muhammad
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Key Management ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Voluntary Organizations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Government

Purpose Open government data (OGD) is making available data freely to all by the government with the aim to ensure accountability and transparency in government besides generating public value by its usage. OGD is an emerging government initiative in Pakistan, and there is a lot of potential for harnessing OGD for spearheading innovation and improvising services in different economic sectors. This paper aims to seek to investigate the usage of OGD in private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach Documentary analysis is conducted to review the national OGD portal of Pakistan. Besides, structured interviews were conducted with 49 senior management representatives from private sector and NGOs to solicit their perspectives regarding the usage of OGD for professional purposes. Also, questions were posed regarding the challenges in harnessing OGD for professional purposes. Findings OGD has immense usage for private sector and NGOs; however, more initiatives are required on the part of the government to open their data sets. Further, involvement of stakeholders from the private sector and NGOs and other interested partners is required for an optimum usage of OGD in different economic sectors of Pakistan. Research limitations/implications As the research focuses on private sector and NGOs in Pakistan, the study requires a more broad-based approach to take into account the perspectives of different users. Further research is required to appreciate the role of contextual factors in determining the usage of OGD in Pakistan. Practical implications Government should be more forthcoming in its OGD initiatives and encourage collaboration from citizens, businesses, voluntary organizations and the like. Social implications Working professionals from different economic sectors should tap OGD for generating value by improvising their services. Originality/value The study is the first one to be conducted in Pakistan about the OGD initiatives of the country. Soliciting views from the key management representatives in the private sector and NGOs, the paper contributed to the extant OGD literature which is more supply-focused and not demand-driven. While conceding that there are ample usages of OGD for the different economic sectors, the paper underlines the need for refining the OGD initiatives of Pakistan.

Asymmetric Open Government Data (OGD) framework in India

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 434-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Economic Value ◽  
Open Data ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Government

Purpose With the ongoing drives towards Open Government Data (OGD) initiatives across the globe, governments have been keen on pursuing their OGD policies to ensure transparency, collaboration and efficiency in administration. As a developing country, India has recently adopted the OGD policy (www.data.gov.in); however, the percolation of this policy in the States has remained slow. This paper aims to underpin the “asymmetry” in OGD framework as far as the Indian States are concerned. Besides, the study also assesses the contribution of “Open Citizens” in furthering the OGD initiatives of the country. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory qualitative following a case study approach informs the present study using documentary analysis where evidentiary support from five Indian States (Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Sikkim and Gujarat) is being drawn to assess the nature and scope of the OGD framework. Further, conceptualization for “Open Citizen” framework is provided to emphasize upon the need to have aware, informed and pro-active citizens to spearhead the OGD initiatives in the country. Findings While the National OGD portal has a substantial number of data sets across different sectors, the States are lagging behind in the adoption and implementation of OGD policies, and while Telangana and Sikkim have been the frontrunners in adoption of OGD policies in a rudimentary manner, others are yet to catch up with them. Further, there is “asymmetry” in terms of the individual contribution of the government bodies to the open data sets where some government bodies are more reluctant to share their datasets than the others. Practical implications It is the conclusion of the study that governments need to institutionalize the OGD framework in the country, and all the States should appreciate the requirement of adopting a robust OGD policy for furthering transparency, collaboration and efficiency in administration. Social implications As an “Open Citizen”, it behooves upon the citizens to be pro-active and contribute towards the open data sets which would go a long way in deriving social and economic value out of these data sets. Originality/value While there are many studies on OGD in the West, studies focused upon the developing countries are starkly lacking. This study plugs this gap by attempting a comparative analysis of the OGD frameworks across Indian States. Besides, the study has provided a conceptualization of “Open Citizen” (OGD) which may be tapped for further research in developing and developed countries to ascertain the linkage between OGD and OC.

Open government data (OGD): challenging the concept of a “Designated Community”

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Moles
Keyword(s):  
Open Government ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Curation ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Government Data ◽  
Community Concept ◽  
The City

Purpose This paper aims to explore the curation of government-produced datasets for release as open government data (OGD) from the perspective of the digital curation and preservation concept of a “Designated Community”. Specifically, it explores how digital curation functions when there is no clear Designated Community to which curation services can be targeted. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted through a case study of the City of Toronto’s efforts to revitalize their OGD program. Data was collected using three methods: semi-structured interviews, non-participative observation and document analysis. Findings The curators of OGD responded to the absence of a Designated Community through two complementary methods. The first was to draw from the discourse that defines the OGD domain. The second was to take a participatory approach that incorporated members of the community surrounding OGD and various other stakeholders into the process of developing a plan for the revitalization of the program. Research limitations/implications This study opens new directions for investigating the application of the Designated Community concept and its role in digital curation and preservation. Practical implications The approach used by OGD curators in this case has the potential to be used in other curation situations where there is no clearly defined user group. Originality/value The findings presented in this paper contribute empirical insights to on-going discussions on the concept of a Designated Community in digital curation and preservation.

Re-defining open government data standards for smart cities’ websites: a case study of selected cities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lnenicka ◽  
Stuti Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Data Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the select Smart Cities of Czech and Indian counterparts and assess the extent to which open government data (OGD) standards are being adhered to using select indicators. Design/methodology/approach This study integrates the benchmarking frameworks provided in literature on OGD and apply them to evaluate the OGD standards of the Smart Cities’ websites. Findings Whereas the Czech Smart Cities are relatively more advanced in their OGD initiatives, the Indian counterpart is far lagging behind in their endeavors. Originality/value While there are many studies on OGD and Smart Cities, there has been no study which seeks to appreciate if the OGD initiatives are being adhered to by the Smart Cities.

Enhancing transparency through open government data: the case of data portals and their features and capabilities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lněnička ◽  
Renata Machova ◽  
Jolana Volejníková ◽  
Veronika Linhartová ◽  
Radka Knezackova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Data ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Web Content ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Domain Experts ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Government Data

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to draw on evidence from computer-mediated transparency and examine the argument that open government data and national data infrastructures represented by open data portals can help in enhancing transparency by providing various relevant features and capabilities for stakeholders' interactions.Design/methodology/approachThe developed methodology consisted of a two-step strategy to investigate research questions. First, a web content analysis was conducted to identify the most common features and capabilities provided by existing national open data portals. The second step involved performing the Delphi process by surveying domain experts to measure the diversity of their opinions on this topic.FindingsIdentified features and capabilities were classified into categories and ranked according to their importance. By formalizing these feature-related transparency mechanisms through which stakeholders work with data sets we provided recommendations on how to incorporate them into designing and developing open data portals.Social implicationsThe creation of appropriate open data portals aims to fulfil the principles of open government and enables stakeholders to effectively engage in the policy and decision-making processes.Originality/valueBy analyzing existing national open data portals and validating the feature-related transparency mechanisms, this paper fills this gap in existing literature on designing and developing open data portals for transparency efforts.

Minimisation and management strategies for refurbishment and renovation waste in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann T.W. Yu ◽  
Kelvin S.H. Mok ◽  
Irene Wong
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government

PurposeThe capacity of landfills will reach saturation in the 2020s. There are more than 50,000 buildings in Hong Kong over 30 years old and which may require extensive refurbishment under the Mandatory Building Scheme. Additionally, most new owners/tenants tend to renovate their premises before moving in. Hence, there is an urgent need in Hong Kong, to explore strategies and measures to enable the development of effective refurbishment and renovation (R&R) waste management for such projects. The objectives of this paper are to investigate the process of R&R for identifying the perceived barriers and thereby the strategies for minimisation and management of R&R waste in Hong Kong.Design/methodology/approachDesktop study, semi-structured interviews, site observations and document reviews were used as the data collection methods to achieve the objectives of this research. Considering the nature and characteristics of the industry structure, the snowball sampling process was deployed for data collection. Thematic analysis and content analysis were used for data analysis. Waste minimisation and management strategies for R&R projects were then discussed and developed by the research team and a focus group meeting was held to validate the research findings. Six strategies were then proposed to the government.FindingsR&R projects contribute 10–20% of the construction and demolition waste. The barriers to recycling of R&R waste can be grouped into six major categories: (1) lack of sorting and storage spaces, (2) high cost, (3) insufficient government supporting policy, (4) complicated recycling processes, (5) immature recycling market and (6) insufficient public education. Also, six strategies are proposed in this study, which include (1) pre-refurbishment audit, (2) development of recycling market, (3) sea reclamation, (4) incineration, (5) government support and (6) education and research.Originality/valueThe strategies and measures proposed in this research could most adequately serve as reference for the government officials, building professionals and academic researchers. Such knowledge would make possible the development of effective strategies and measures for minimising and managing R&R waste.

Re-using Open Government Data (OGD) published by the Election Commission of India (ECI)

foresight ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 507-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Academic Research ◽  
Vote Share ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Party Affiliation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Demographic Profiles ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Election Commission

Purpose The paper aims to “re-use” the Open Government Data (OGD) published by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Bihar’s performance across General Elections, 2014, and Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections, 2015, is compared, wherein the role of contestants’ demographic profiles in determining their vote share is being investigated. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses are derived based on the impact of contestants’ demographic profiles (age, marital status, social category, political party affiliation, educational qualification, availing telephone and email facility, criminal antecedents) on their vote share. Following a quantitative approach, multiple regression and logistic regression are used to draw inferences from the data contestants’ affidavits – sourced from the ECI website. Findings Results show that contestants’ demographic profiles impact their vote share in the elections. While the ECI website is a viable source for re-using the data available there, data are not available in a user-friendly format and this leads to difficulty in being re-used by different stakeholders. Originality/value Academic research on OGD re-use is negligible, and the present study seeks to contribute towards extant literature by underlining the significance of re-using OGD by drawing inferences from the data accessible via ECI.

The use of open government data to citizen empowerment: an empirical validation of a proposed model

foresight ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 665-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Nahin Hossain ◽  
Md Shamim Talukder ◽  
Md Rakibul Hoque ◽  
Yukun Bao
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Open Government Data ◽  
Citizen Empowerment ◽  
Government Data ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure the impact of open government data (OGD) on citizen empowerment. Design/methodology/approach This study advances the body of knowledge on OGD by proposing an integrated research model based on transparency, accountability, participation and collaboration dimensions. The research model was empirically tested using 275 responses using the on-paper survey from the university students and professionals in Bangladesh. Data were analyzed using the structured equation modeling technique. Findings Findings revealed that transparency and participation have a positive and significant direct and indirect influence on citizen empowerment through accountability and collaboration. Overall, the four basic pillars of OGD such as transparency, participation, accountability and collaboration interrelated with each other and have the impact on citizen empowerment. Research limitations/implications This study has proposed an instrument that sums the dimensions of open government, which avoids tautology and redundancy among OGD dimensions. More research should be done to validate the proposed model and the instruments used in this study. Practical implications For the researchers, this study provides a basis for further refinement of individual models of empowerment. For practitioners, understanding the key constructs is crucial to design, refine and implement OGD systems and applications that empower citizens, create public values and strengthen the democratic process. Originality/value This research is the first step that empirically investigates the impact of OGD on citizen empowerment which is the ultimate goals of any democratic government.

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