Exploring the Effects of the Adoption of the Open Government Partnership: A Cross-Country Panel Data Analysis

Abstract

Over the past decade, scholars have paid attention to the importance of open government, which aims to make public administration more transparent, democratic, and effective by using information and communication technologies. However, there is a lack of empirical research that examines the effects of open government. Therefore, this study intends to rigorously test the democratic and administrative effects of open government, focusing on a global initiative known as the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Specifically, this study examines whether OGP adoption in national governments has reduced government corruption and improved government effectiveness across countries. For this purpose, this study collected longitudinal data from the Center for Systemic Peace, the United Nations, and the World Bank. Then, it employed a panel data analysis based on a fixed effects model. As a result, there was no direct effect of OGP adoption on government corruption and government effectiveness, respectively. However, legal and economic factors were likely to moderate the effects of OGP adoption on curbing government corruption and enhancing government effectiveness. This study can make a theoretical and practical contribution to open government, e-government, and collaborative governance.