Making Open Government Work

Managers of public organizations face strong, and increasing, demands to open up their internal processes to public scrutiny. A more active and critical role in society, advances in communications technology, the 24-hour media cycle and growing numbers of independent regulators all add to the pressure on governments to become more accountable and transparent. This book analyses these pressures by examining the key concepts of accountability and transparency and the main institutional mechanisms of open government. It also discusses the problems of accountability and transparency that arise for public managers sharing responsibilities across jurisdictional boundaries and in public-private partnerships.

Drawing on examples from around the world, this engaging and accessible text provides a balanced account of open government which emerges as both a challenge and an aid to more effective public management.