The role of policy entrepreneurs in open government data policy innovation diffusion: An analysis of Australian Federal and State Governments

Authors

Akemi T. Chatfield, University of WollongongFollow
Christopher Reddick, University of Texas at San AntonioFollow

RIS ID

117039

Publication Details

Chatfield, A. & Reddick, C. (2018). The role of policy entrepreneurs in open government data policy innovation diffusion: An analysis of Australian Federal and State Governments. Government Information Quarterly, 35 (1), 123-134.

Abstract

Open government data (OGD) policy differs substantially from the existing Freedom of Information policies. Consequently OGD can be viewed as a policy innovation. Drawing on both innovation diffusion theory and its application to public policy innovation research, we examine Australia's OGD policy diffusion patterns at both the federal and state government levels based on the policy adoption timing and CKAN portal "Organization" and "Category" statistics. We found that state governments that had adopted OGD policies earlier had active policy entrepreneurs (or lead departments/agencies) responsible for the policy innovation diffusion across the different government departments. We also found that their efficacy ranking was relatively high in terms of OGD portal openness when openness is measured by the greater number of datasets proactively and systematically published through their OGD portals. These findings have important implications for the role played by OGD policy entrepreneurs in openly sharing the government-owned datasets with the public.