Open data-set identifier for open innovation and knowledge management

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the importance of open data and the role that knowledge management and open innovation can play in its identification and use. Open data has great potential to create social and economic value, but its main problem is that it is often not easily reusable. The aim of this paper is to propose a unique identifier for open data-sets that would facilitate search and access to them and help to reduce heterogeneity in the publication of data in open data portals. Design/methodology/approach Considering a model of the impact process of open data reuse and based on the digital object identifier system, this paper develops a proposal of a unique identifier for open data-sets called Open Data-set Identifier (OpenDatId). Findings This paper presents some examples of the application and advantages of OpenDatId. For example, users can easily consult the available content catalogues, search the data in an automated way and examine the content for reuse. It is also possible to find out where this data comes from, solving the problems caused by the increasingly frequent federation of data in open data portals and enabling the creation of additional services based on open data. Originality/value From an integrated perspective of knowledge management and open innovation, this paper presents a new unique identifier for open data-sets (OpenDatId) and a new concept for data-set, the FAIR Open Data-sets.