A Comparative Analysis of Open Data Portals: The Cases of Ordu and Tampere

Open data has become an important component of contemporary urban governance, contributing to transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making. However, the effectiveness of open data systems depends not only on data availability but also on interoperability, standardization, and the ability of data infrastructures to support reuse and integration within urban service ecosystems. In this context, the distinction between data publication and service-oriented data governance is increasingly relevant in assessing municipal digital maturity. This study presents a comparative analysis of the open data portals of Ordu Metropolitan Municipality in Türkiye and the City of Tampere in Finland, representing different institutional and digital governance capacities. The research employs a qualitative comparative framework focusing on dataset composition, format standardization, update frequency, interoperability mechanisms, metadata structures, and user-oriented functionalities, with particular attention to spatial data infrastructures and GIS-based applications. The findings indicate that Ordu’s open data portal is primarily characterized by a data publication-oriented structure, relying largely on static formats and offering limited interoperability, despite a relatively high number of datasets. In contrast, Tampere demonstrates a more integrated and service-oriented data ecosystem supported by standardized formats, API-based access, and dynamic data services. These differences suggest that municipal data maturity is shaped more by system architecture and governance design than by dataset quantity alone. The study highlights the importance of distinguishing between data availability and functional data use in urban governance systems. It contributes to the literature by providing a comparative perspective on open data maturity and offers policy-oriented recommendations for strengthening interoperability and improving municipal data ecosystems.