Impact factors of open government information in the era of e-government

Open government information (OGI) is critical in the e-government era for maintaining transparency and enhancing citizens’ trust. However, research from an institutional perspective remains limited, particularly regarding the influence of information characteristics, the integration of emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs), and the differences between voluntary OGI and OGI on request. This study addresses these gaps by surveying government agencies and interviewing government officers in China. Employing a mixed-method approach—including correlation analysis, principal component analysis, variance analysis, and regression analysis—the study examines the differences between the two OGI methods and identifies the key components of OGI. The findings indicate that voluntary OGI and OGI on request exhibit distinct correlations with institutional features. The principal components of OGI include supervision and mechanism, information technology and support, implementation complexity and reference, local development, openness awareness, and disclosure channel and cost. Moreover, the usefulness of the information to the public exerts a significant impact on OGI. U-shaped relationships are observed between the relevance of the affairs to the public and information technology and support, as well as between the room for improvement and openness awareness. Theoretically, this study advances the OGI literature by introducing the Chinese e-government context, differentiating between OGI methods, and emphasizing the critical role of information usefulness. Practically, it offers recommendations for government agencies to adopt additional ICTs, increase the disclosure of useful information, and implement diversified strategies for future OGI improvement.