Joining the open government partnership initiative: An empirical analysis of diffusion effects

Tavares, A. F., Camões, P. J., & Martins, J. (2023). Joining the open government partnership initiative: An empirical analysis of diffusion effects. Government Information Quarterly, 40(2).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2022.101789 This episode explores the global adoption of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), analyzing data from 175 countries over a decade (2010-2018). The study argues that OGP participation results from policy diffusion processes, influenced by regional proximity, cultural and governmental similarities, and international organization membership. While democracies are more likely to join, autocracies also participate when peers in their group do, highlighting the complexity of regime characteristics in shaping open government policies. Four diffusion mechanisms—learning, competition, coercion, and social emulation—are examined. Learning involves rational policy adoption for expected benefits, while competition relates to economic policies. Coercion arises from pressures by organizations like the IMF or UN, and social emulation reflects the adoption of policies deemed progressive. The study finds all four mechanisms relevant and shows that Freedom of Information legislation correlates with OGP participation. It calls for stronger OGP leadership to attract non-members and further research on substantive policy changes under OGP frameworks.