Can open government data improve urban innovation? Empirical research from a dual perspective in China

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

With the arrival of the digital economy era, open government data have the potential to enhance urban innovation. Human capital is acknowledged as a key driver of innovation. In China, many cities have successively established open government data platforms, while the distribution of human capital has exhibited significant heterogeneity. Using 272 Chinese cities from 2008 to 2022 as samples, we adopt multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) and spatial DID models to detect the direct, spatial spillover and heterogeneous effects of open government data on urban innovation. Three key findings are revealed: Open government data can positively affect intracity innovation. Open government data have a positive spatial spillover effect on intercity innovation. Open government data can exert a stronger influence on improving urban innovation with a high level of human capital. These conclusions provide valuable insights to understand how open government data can foster urban innovation. • Relationship between OGD and urban innovation from a dual perspective. • We adopt multi-period DID and spatial DID methods to investigate this relationship. • OGD positively affects intracity innovation. • OGD has a positive spatial spillover effect on intercity innovation. • As human capital level increases, OGD amplifies urban innovation.