Institutional Dimensions of Open Government Data Implementation: Evidence from the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK

Abstract

This article investigates the institutional dimensions that shape Open Government Data (OGD) implementation in three developed countries: the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Thirty-two expert interviews and document analysis were used to research OGD implementation practices. The results reveal that OGD implementation as such is not enough to ensure the sustainability and success of OGD adoption in a country. Five different dimensions should be distinguished: policy and strategy, legislative foundations, organizational arrangements, relevant skills, public support and awareness. The approach to the institutional dimensions differs between the countries. Centralized OGD governance is shown to yield better results and a higher level of OGD implementation. The contribution of the present study is twofold: first, the article introduces institutional dimensions for explaining OGD implementation; second, it presents a comparative analysis of best practices in the three developed countries.