Open Data Paper Example

Open data refers to research data that is freely and readily available in the internet and other sources permitting anyone with access to copy, download, re-process, analyze and use it for any purpose without legal, financial or technical barriers except those that cannot be separated from accessing the internet itself. An exhaustive research o the nature and the applicability of open data revealed numerous benefits that not only equip scholars with academic skills but also business people and the general public that has access to the data. Furthermore, my research led me to believe that open data can be used as a tool of enlightenment to the masses and the bridge to increased literacy, financial freedom, just governance and social balance. The accessibility of information to everyone is the key to building a society that is aware of changes I the modern world and is able to adjust accordingly. Therefore, governments, businesses and other organizations should make data open to promote transparency, innovation and efficiency.

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To begin, open data in governments and administrative bodies promotes transparency and accountability. Good governance does not only entail providing leadership and support to the people but also accounting for the processes used in arriving at major decisions that affect the people. A just and democratic government or leadership is one that is ready to account for its decisions by showing that all its operations are transparent and in line with the law. (European Data Portal, 2015) For instance, in budgets and spending, governments are expected to demonstrate that public funds have been allocated lawfully and used appropriately. Through providing easy access to data, the government is able to advocate for values such as integrity and truth to its citizens. Furthermore, I believe that openness in leadership and government strengthens democracy and encourages the delivery of effective and efficient services to the citizens, and contributes to political and economic growth.

Additionally, information transparency in governments promotes the growth and improvement of relationships towards the people they serve. Disclosing and allowing total access to government data helps the government to build trust with citizens' thus promoting cohesion and patriotism. (Lathrop, Laurel, TotalBoox,, & TBX, 2010, 54)For instance, allowing the citizens to access information regarding governance, lawmaking and implementation of policies make the people feel that they are part of governance. More importantly, I feel that the people can evaluate the information and voice concerns regarding areas that they feel are not in line with their rights and the law. Governments that allow their citizens to participate in lawmaking and planning enjoy cooperation from the citizens who actively participate in governance by recommending solutions to national problems in social, political and economic sectors. Furthermore, increased public participation through open data plays a major role in creating more sustainable and smarter communities for the future.

Moreover, open data in business promotes innovation. Easy access to information, knowledge and content is one of the key contributors to the creation of new business models and the development of innovative products and services. The growth of an economy is centered upon the ability of the people to create new and better quality products. The continuity in innovation in different sectors of the economy enhances competition resulting in increased efficiency and productivity. I believe that the easy access to data enhances performance in the public sector as a result of the cross-sharing of data. When people are able to easily access and share data, they are able to brainstorm and manipulate information to fit in new business models that cultivate more productivity and efficiency in business. (Verhulst, 2018, 32)Furthermore, as a budding businessperson and entrepreneur, access to information about successful individuals in business and their strategies has greatly improved my decision making. Unlike in the past, my decisions are guided by certified information that is easily accessible in scholarly and business websites. Through the comparison of different ideas and solutions to common problems in business, I am able to identify gaps in different industries and create products that are not only beneficial to me financially but also to the target customers.

Moreover, open data in business promotes the improvement of product quality. Each day new products and services are launched into the market with the aim of capturing the attention of the target market. The ability of the products to capture the attention of the targeted clients is influenced by a number of factors primarily quality and the image of the product. Open data provides access to information that can be used by innovators to improve the quality of the new products and those already in the market. Following a closer examination of specific products such as computers and mobile phones, I noted that numerous producers borrow ideas from their competitors and use them to improve their products to match competition. I understand the need by different companies to have an edge over other competitors; however, the benefits of this type of data borrowing are not only in the creation of new products but also more superior products.

Furthermore, open data creates more job opportunity and improves the economic status of the society. The creation of job opportunity stems from increased innovation. Open data allows individual to learn and gain skills that are accessible to all that are able to access data from different platforms. Unlike in the past, I feel that the world today requires a society that is always curious and ready to learn new skills. Every day new jobs are created as a result of the stimulation of the economy, not to mention the ever rising demand for individuals who are able to work with data. (Wessels, Finn, Wadhwa, & Sveinsdottir, 2017, 38) As a scholar, I believe that the key to building a morally and economically empowered society is exposing the information. The easy accessibility of information from the internet and other sources has greatly transformed our societies, unlike the past. Today, the number of individuals who gain employment or start businesses as a result of accessing and exchanging information has not only increased but has also transformed the people's way of life and attitude towards learning. Thanks to open data, individuals are more enlightened and ready to explore bigger academic and business prospects. These are some of the reasons why I feel that government, businesses, society and other organizations should support open data in efforts to promote efficiency, innovation and transparency.

Although governments, institutions and researchers may feel uncomfortable about allowing the open availability of data as a result of perceived difficulties around intellectual property, copyright, recognition and misinterpretation of data, there are numerous ways through which the data can be shared in a safe, secure and cost-effective ways. For instance, the institutions and the researchers can identify platforms that created to help researchers I sharing their data in cost-effective and safe ways. The platforms such as reviewed repositories allow scholars, readers and researchers to enter their data, apply licenses for usage and at the same time specify how the information is to be cited. Through the identification and use of such platforms, open data can be a great resource to share, discover and re-use information. (Smith & Reilly, 2013, 18)

Conclusion

In summation, open data promotes innovation, transparency and efficiency. Open data is described as data that can be freely accessed, used, reused and shared by any individual without restriction. Although the idea of open data is not common among a number of people in the world today, the benefits associated with the unlimited access to the information have greatly transformed the world. Unlike in the past, the availability of data allows scholars to easily access information, citizens to understand and follow up on the activities of their governments and innovators in the business and science industry to exchange ideas regarding the creation of more efficient and high quality good. I believe that enhancing availability and campaigning for the more access to data plays a major role in determining the social, political and economic growth of an individual, state or country.

References

European Data Portal., 2015, January 8. Benefits of Open Data - European Data Portal - European Data Portal. [Online] (Updated 8 Jan. 2015) Available at: <https://www.europeandataportal.eu/en/using-data/benefits-of-open-data > [Accessed 4 Oct. 2018]

Lathrop, D., Laurel, R., TotalBoox,, & TBX., 2010. Open Government. O'Reilly Media.

Smith, M. L., & Reilly, K. M., 2013. Open development: Networked innovations in international development. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.

Verhulst, S., 2018. Open Data in Developing Economies: Toward Building an Evidence Base on What Works and How. Baltimore, Maryland: Project Muse.

Wessels, B., Finn, R. L., Wadhwa, K., & Sveinsdottir, T., 2017. Open data and the knowledge society. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.