(this page is part of my 2011 report on “Open Data: Emerging trends, issues and best practices”. Please follow that link to reach the Introduction and Table of Content, but don’t forget to also check the notes for readers! of the initial report of the same project, “Open Data, Open Society”)

Open Data can reduce the costs of Public Administrations and generate (or at least protect, as in the case of deals from local merchants) local jobs in all sectors of the economy, not just high-tech ones. There seems to be enough evidence for these two assertions to go for more Open Data even if they had no effect at all on participation to politics. This should always be kept in mind, also because some data that can directly stimulate business are not the same that would be useful for transparency.