Factors Affecting Performance of Open Government Data Initiatives: A Multi-Method Approach Using Sem and FSQCA

ABSTRACT

Recent interest and development in open government data (OGD) has led government agencies of many countries to introduce OGD initiatives. While the performance of OGD initiatives (POI) in some agencies has been impressive, for others it has been less so. To understand the underlying factors that influence OGD initiatives and drawing on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, we propose a model that incorporates seven context-specific TOE variables. The model was tested with two complementary methods applied to responses in 198 surveys completed by Australian government agency employees. In the first stage, structural equation modeling detected that quality of data, management leadership, skilled operational professionals, political commitment, and external pressure significantly contribute to POI. However, the concept of the TOE framework fundamentally implies a joint effect, suggesting a configuration rather than independent effect of TOE variables. Therefore, in the second stage, we investigated the model using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), which is new to information systems research and appropriate for configuration analyses. The fsQCA results suggested complex configurational trade-off effects among the variables. Specifically, quality of data and metadata, management leadership, skilled operational professionals, and political commitment were found to drive POI. Inhibitors of POI included lack of skilled staff, lack of technology infrastructure, lack of political commitment, and external pressure. Our findings contribute to the information systems literature and managerial practice by providing strategic insight to improve OGD initiatives.

KEYWORDS:

• Open data
• open government data
• OGD
• TOE
• mixed method

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ Right to information is synonymous to freedom of information (http://shehri.org/rti/what-is-foi.html). Many countries (at least 93, according to https://www.right2info.org/recent/93-countries-with-rti-laws-updated) including Australia have right to information policies and legislation. In Australia, the Right to Information Act 2009 replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (https://www.rti.qld.gov.au/right-to-information-act).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mohammad Alamgir Hossain

Dr Mohammad Alamgir Hossain is an information system (IS) academic from the School of Accounting, Information Systems, and Supply Chain (SAISSC), RMIT University, Australia. He was awarded his PhD from Curtin University Australia, with the Chancellor’s commendation. He has published in reputed IS journals including International Journal of Information Management (IJIM), Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce (JOCEC), IT & People (IT&P), Electronic Markets, and Information Systems Frontiers (ISF). He received the Dean’s Research Excellence Award in 2020 from SAISSC and was nominated for the RMIT College of Business & Law (CoBL) Research Excellence Award in 2018. In addition, Dr. Hossain received the best paper award in 2016 IFIP WG 6.11 and 2013 IFIPWG 8.6 Conference. He has been serving to several reputed journals as editorial member and reviewer. His research areas and interests are technology diffusion, Open Data, cybersecurity, and social media. Mohammad is active in PhD supervision as well.

Shams Rahman

Shams Rahman is a Professor of Supply Chain Management at RMIT University, Australia. He is a former British Commonwealth scholar who held visiting fellowship at many universities including Virginia Tech, MIT Zaragoza Logistics Center, University of Exeter and National Sun Yat Sen University. He has successfully led several externally funded projects and advised multinationals firms on lean manufacturing, remanufacturing, food cold chain, and talent management in the Logistics sector. Professor Rahman is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Information Systems and Supply Chain Management and is on the editorial board of fifteen international journals. He has published over 245 research papers and served as a Guest Editor for several top-ranked journals. His current research interest is in disruptive technology and sustainability. Professor Rahman is dedicated to interdisciplinary research and education, and integrated approaches to defining and unraveling supply chain challenges and societal concerns.

Mohammed Quaddus

Dr Mohammed Quaddus currently is a professor at the School of Management and Marketing at Curtin University, Perth. Prof Quaddus has research interest in multiple disciplines, which include Information systems planning, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Risk management in supply chain, Behavioural Modelling in Marketing and Tourism, ICT and Tourism, Sustainability and Tourism. Prof Quaddus has published over 300 papers in refereed journals, international conferences and chapters in Books. His publications have appeared in Omega, International Journal of Production Economics, European Journal of Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, Supply Chain Management–An International Journal, Information System Frontiers, Rural Sociology, among many others. He has successfully supervised over 55 doctoral students. In 1996 and 2005 he received “researcher of the year” award in Curtin Business School. From Jan 2009 – Dec 2011 he was deputy dean and dean of research, and from March 2013 – March 2014 he was Director of Curtin Graduate School of Business, Curtin Business School. Prof Quaddus also acted as consultants for a number of organizations including, DAFWA, Woodside Petroleum and World Bank.

Elsie Hooi

Elsie Hooi holds a PhD in logistics and supply chain management. Her PhD explored out of stocks and over stocking in leading supermarkets. She collaborates closely with students, industry and community on student and research projects. She is a course coordinator of core courses in the logistics and supply chain bachelor programs offered in over five countries. Her passion in higher education learning and research have resulted in her winning Learning & Teaching Awards twice. She has presented in international conferences in Asia and Europe and at leading industry events. Her current research interests include warehousing, on-shelf availability, retail logistics, events logistics, supply chain management and experiential learning.

Abdus-Samad Olanrewaju

Abdus-Samad Olanrewaju is a PhD graduate from the School of Business IT and Logistics, RMIT University and currently a senior business analyst at Gilmour and Associates. His major research expertise includes entrepreneurship, digital and social media, organization strategy, open-data and algorithms. Primarily, his focus includes the use of digital media across different levels of society, including individual, social, and government institutions. Abdus-Samad can be contacted at [email protected].