A Critical Capability Approach to Evaluate Open Development

Abstract

The concept of open development has evolved over time. Smith et al. (2008) presented Open ICT4D as a working hypothesis that refers to the use of new ICTs to engage in open processes to achieve development gains. It is underlined by a set of principles that privilege universal access, participation, and collaboration over restricted access and centralized production (Smith and Elder 2010). Stemming from ICT4D roots, the openness of concern in this context is considered to be digitally or informationnetwork enabled. Open development refers not only to the technological infrastructure that supports openness but also more importantly to the processes that enhance sharing, collaboration, social inclusion, accountability, and transparency. In recent years, open movements have spread across many sectors, including open data, open government, open educational resources, open science, and open development, and standards for openness have been adopted in many of these sectors. In June 2013, the European Union adopted an updated directive aimed at facilitating the reuse of public sector information by businesses, creative citizens, developers, and others (European Commission 2013). At the same time, the G8 countries signed the Open Data Charter, built around five principles: open data by default, high quality and quantity, usable by all, release data for improved governance, and release data for innovation (Susha et al. 2014). This in itself could be seen as demonstrating the importance of digitally enabled openness to a range of international and national political entities both in middleincome countries and in the Global North. In many cases, openness is being promoted by institutional players such as international organizations, national and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations. 9 A Critical Capability Approach to Evaluate Open Development