Open and openness has different meanings for different people. For example, there are a large number of open initiatives that fit within a broader "open movement" such as open access, open educational resources, open government data, and the like. While these initiatives use the term open, it isn't clear that they are necessarily referring to the same thing. In this presentation, I present one approach to thinking about the commonalities across open so that we can learn across openness in different silos.

1. Greater Coherence
Through an Openness
Theory of Change?
3rd Global Congress on IP and the
Public Interest, Cape Town
Dec. 12, 2013
Matthew Smith, IDRC
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2. Using the word ‘open’
brings challenges.

3. Challenge 1
Many definitions/uses of ‘open’
= poor discussions/learning
• ’

4. Challenge 2
Openness enacted and researched
in silos
= re-invent the
wheel
= little crosslearning

5. Challenge 3
Openness is understood
by many as a good in and
of itself.
= lack of critical inquiry

6. General Objective
• Improve understanding of how,
for whom, and in what
circumstances does openness
brings benefits and costs?

7. Specific Objectives
• Gain clarity as to what openness is and
how ‘openness’ makes a difference
• Find a common denominator for
comparative research
• Greater coherence across open
movement

8. 4
clarifications

9. Clarification 1
Functional openness
• Openness isn’t the goal
• More openness ≠ better
• Openness for a purpose

10. Clarification 2
Open processes are always
structured:
they include and exclude,
they close off possibilities.

11. Clarification 3
Openness in theory ≠
Openness in practice
A critical perspective is
required.

12. Clarification 4
NOT:
Complete theory of open /
openness
IS:
Simplified framework for
comparison across open activities

13. Methodology
• Inductive
• Open science/data/education
research frameworks
• Other open literature
• Looked for claims as to how
Openness adds value or cost

14. Fundamental questions
What is it about open that
makes a difference?
What does openness enable
that makes a difference?

15. 2 Dimensions of Openness
• Openness of content
• Openness to people
Digitally Enabled

16. Open Content
• Free as in gratis (access)
• Free as in freedom
– open license
– 4 r’s: Reuse, Revise, Remix,
Redistribute

17. Openness to People
~ more people = more open

18. Focus of ToC Model
What causal social processes
does openness enable?

19. Focus of ToC Model
How do people do things (e.g.,
organize, collaborate,
coordinate) around open
content and/or
technology that
brings change?

20. Content
Causal Process
Outcome
Creating &/or
making content
free &/or open
Time/cost investment
Cost of hosting
Quality content
Democratization of knowledge
Institutional Change
(incl. redistribution)

21. Content
Causal Process
Use “as-is”
(reuse)
Outcome
Attention/time
Enhanced capabilities
Increased Access
Reduced duplication
Reduced Costs

22. Content
Causal Process
Outcome
Interpretation
by others of
open initiatives
Change reputation (+/-)
Build trust
Change values

23. Content
Causal Process
Transparency
& feedback /
accountability
(reuse)
Outcome
Improvement of content
Improvement of
processes

24. Content
Causal Process
Adaptation
(Revise/Remix)
Outcome
Attention/time
Improved content (more
relevant)
Novel content

25. Content
Causal Process
Collaborative
production
(Revise/Remix)
Outcome
Improvement of content
Novel content
‘Communities’

26. (more) People
Causal Process
Participation
in a decision
making process
Outcome
Inclusion
Buy-in
Legitimacy
Participatory budgeting, new methods of
participation in development initiatives

27. (more) People
Causal Process
Collective
action
to achieve a goal
Outcome
Access to diverse minds
New data sources
New/better solutions
Digital activism, crowd-sourcing, sharing
economy, collective intelligence, open
competitions

33. Cross-cutting Research Questions
How, in what circumstances, and
for whom does the as-is use add
value, and what are the costs?
How, in what circumstances, and
for whom does the adaptation
add value, and what are the costs?

34. Benefits of Approach
• Clarifies differences between open
activities
• Basis for deepening knowledge
across disciplines
• Highly practical knowledge
• Connects openness to existing
literature