Open Government Data: The OECD's Swiss army knife in the transformation of government

Abstract

Open Government Data (OGD) has been framed as a collection of tools enabling the achievement of diverse goals: to increase transparency and thus improve democracy, to boost economic development, and to enhance the ef fi ciency of public services. To investigate the evolution of OGD, this study focuses on the work of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). To identify the underlying values and multiple purposes of OGD, we propose a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) study, which aims to show how OGD has been forged and how the expectations towards it have evolved. This paper aims to contribute to the existing literature, offering a critical perspective of the OECD's work on OGD, as well as developing a more nuanced understanding of OGD's conceptual features. Finally, the study reveals the emergence of a data ‐ driven government model, paving the way for further research on its effects on Public Administration and Public Law.