{{Short description|Philosophical concept emphasising transparency and collaboration}}
'''Openness''' is an overarching concept that is characterized by an emphasis on transparency and collaboration.<ref name=Peters>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Peters|first=Michael|title=The Idea of Openness: Open Education and Education for Openness|url=http://eepat.net/doku.php?id=open_education_and_education_for_openness|encyclopedia=The Encyclopaedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory|access-date=1 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140501132743/http://eepat.net/doku.php?id=open_education_and_education_for_openness|archive-date=1 May 2014}}</ref><ref name=Schlagwein>{{cite journal|last1=Schlagwein|first1=Daniel|last2=Conboy|first2=Kieran|last3=Feller|first3=Joseph|last4=Leimeister|first4=Jan Marco|last5=Morgan|first5=Lorraine|date=2017|title=Openness With and Without Information Technology: A Framework and a Brief History|journal=Journal of Information Technology|volume=32|issue=4|pages=297–305|doi=10.1057/s41265-017-0049-3|doi-access=free|hdl=10379/13819|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chuang |first1=Tyng-Ruey |last2=Fan |first2=Rebecca C. |last3=Ho |first3=Ming-Syuan |last4=Tyagi |first4=Kalpana |title=Openness |journal=Internet Policy Review |date=2022 |volume=11 |issue=1 |doi=10.14763/2022.1.1643 |doi-access=free|hdl=10419/254280 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> That is, openness refers to "accessibility of knowledge, technology and other resources; the transparency of action; the permeability of organisational structures; and the inclusiveness of participation".<ref name=Schlagwein /> Openness can be said to be the opposite of closedness,<ref name=Schlagwein /> central authority and secrecy.<ref name=Peters />
== Openness concept == Openness has been attributed to a wide array of approaches in very different contexts as outlined below. While there is no universally accepted definition of the overarching concept of openness, a 2017 comprehensive review concludes that:
<blockquote>Open terminology can refer to a higher-order concept (e.g. the ‘‘philosophy of openness’’); the nature of resources (e.g. ‘‘open data’’); the nature of processes (e.g. ‘‘open innovation’’); or the effects on specific domains (e.g. ‘‘open education’’) [...] The principles typically used to characterize this higher-order concept are: access to information and other resources; participation in an inclusive and often collaborative manner; transparency of resources and actions; and democracy or ‘‘democratization’’ such as the breaking up of exclusionary structures.<ref name=Schlagwein /></blockquote>
<!-- 'aboveboard' redirects to this article -->The related term '''aboveboard''' originated from a gambling term in the seventeenth century or earlier, where 'board' refers a table of any type. When the hands of a gambler are above the board, then the player is constrained from illicit behavior such as changing his cards.<ref>{{cite book | title=Word Mysteries & Histories: from Quiche to Humble Pie | editor1-first=Anne H. | editor1-last=Soukhanov | editor2-first=Kaethe | editor2-last=Ellis | display-editors=etal | publisher=Houghton Miffin Company | page=1 | year=1985 | isbn=0-395-40265-4 }}</ref>
== In government == {{Main|Open government}} Open government is the governing doctrine which holds that citizens have the right to access the documents and proceedings of the government to allow for effective public oversight.<ref name="ruma">{{cite book |editor1-first=Daniel |editor1-last=Lathrop |editor2-first=Laurel |editor2-last=Ruma |title=Open Government: Transparency, Collaboration and Participation in Practice |publisher=O'Reilly Media |date=February 2010 |url=https://archive.org/details/opengovernmentco00lath_0 |isbn=978-0-596-80435-0 |url-access=registration }}</ref>
Openness in government applies the idea of freedom of information to information held by authorities and holds that citizens should have the right to see the operations and activities of government at work.<ref name = "Birkinshaw">{{cite journal|last=Birkinshaw|first=Patrick|title=FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND OPENNESS: FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS?|journal=Administrative Law Review|volume=58|issue=1|pages=177–218|url=http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=ac4899af-cdac-4b67-8b67-d0f7951e70b3%40sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=20477744&anchor=AN0020477744-10|access-date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829003311/http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=ac4899af-cdac-4b67-8b67-d0f7951e70b3%40sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=20477744&anchor=AN0020477744-10|archive-date=29 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since reliable information is requisite for accountability, freedom of access to information about the government supports government accountability and helps protect other necessary rights.<ref name = "Birkinshaw"/>
== In creative works == {{Main|Open content}}
Open content and free content both refer to creative works that lack restrictions on how people can use, modify, and distribute them.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://freedomdefined.org/Definition |title=Definition of Free Cultural Works |access-date=8 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-doc.html |title=Free Software and Free Manuals |access-date=March 22, 2009 |last=Stallman |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Stallman |date=November 13, 2008 |publisher=Free Software Foundation}}</ref><ref name="grossman">{{Cite news | last = Grossman| first = Lev| title = New Free License to Cover Content Online| work = Netly News|access-date = 2010-01-12| date = 1998-07-18| url = http://www.time.com/time/digital/daily/0,2822,621,00.html | url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20000619122406/http://www.time.com/time/digital/daily/0,2822,621,00.html |archive-date = 2000-06-19}}</ref> The terms derive from open source software and free software, similar concepts that refer specifically to software.<ref name="Open Content">{{cite web | last = Wiley| first = David| title = Open Content| work = OpenContent.org| access-date = 2012-04-17| year = 1998| url = http://www.opencontent.org/home.shtml| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/19990128224600/http://www.opencontent.org/home.shtml| archive-date = 1999-01-28}}</ref>
== In education == {{Main|Open education}} Open education refers to institutional practices and programmatic initiatives that broaden access to the learning and training traditionally offered through formal education systems. By eliminating barriers to entry, open education aids freedom of information by increasing accessibility.
Open Education advocates state people from all social classes worldwide have open access to high-quality education and resources. They help eliminate obstacles like high costs, outmoded materials, and legal instruments. These barriers impede collaboration among stakeholders. Cooperation is crucial to open education.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-education|title=What is open education?|work=Opensource.com|access-date=2018-07-06 }}</ref> The Open Education Consortium claims “Sharing is a fundamental attribute of education. Education means the sharing of knowledge, insights, and information with everybody. It is the foundation of new wisdom, ideas, talents, and understanding”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oeconsortium.org/|title=The Open Education Consortium |website=The Global Network for Open Education |access-date=2018-07-06}}</ref> Open Educational Resources refer to learning materials that educators can improve and modify with permission from their publishers or authors. Creators of OERs are allowed to include a variety of items such as lesson plans, presentation slides, lecture videos, podcasts, worksheets, maps, and images.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to-knowledge/open-educational-resources/what-are-open-educational-resources-oers/|title=What are Open Educational Resources (OERs)? |website=United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |access-date=2018-07-06}}</ref>
There are legitimate tools like the Creative Commons’ licenses that students can access and use at liberty. They are allowed to translate and amend these materials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://creativecommons.org/licenses/|title=About The Licenses |website=Creative Commons |access-date=2018-07-06}}</ref> Public school teachers in the USA can share resources they developed as compliance for government-authorized standards in education. One of these is called the Common Core State Standards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/|title=About the Standards|website=Common Core State Standards Initiative|access-date=2018-07-06|archive-date=2019-11-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115174848/http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some teachers and school officials have recommended that OERs can help reduce expenses in production and distribution of course materials for primary and secondary institutions. Some teachers and school officials have recommended that OERs can help reduce expenses in production and distribution of course materials for primary and secondary institutions. Certain projects like the OER Commons as storage for open educational resources.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oercommons.org/about|title=OER Commons|website=OER Commons|access-date=2018-07-06}}</ref>
== In science == {{Main|Open science}} Open science refers to the practice of allowing peer-reviewed research articles to be available online free of charge and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.<ref name=Suber>{{cite web|last=Suber|first=Peter|title=Open Access Overview|url=http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/overview.htm|access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref> Benefits of this approach include: accelerated discovery and progress as researchers are free to use and build on the findings of others,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Case for Open Access|url=http://www.plos.org/open-access/|access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref> giving back to the public as much research is paid for with public funds,<ref name=Suber2>{{cite web|last=Suber|first=Peter|title=The taxpayer argument for open access|url=http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/newsletter/09-04-03.htm#taxpayer|work=SPARC Open Access Newsletter, issue #65|access-date=1 May 2014}}</ref> and greater impact for one's work due to open access articles being accessible to a bigger audience.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Harnad|first=Steven|author2=Tim Brody|title=Comparing the Impact of Open Access (OA) vs. Non-OA Articles in the Same Journals|journal=D-Lib Magazine|volume=10|url=http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/260207/1/06harnad.html|access-date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213115319/http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/260207/1/06harnad.html|archive-date=13 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== In information technology == {{Main|Open-source software|Open-source hardware|Open data}}
There are many aspects of openness in information technology, such as:
* Open Science (related to papers and discoveries in the field of computer science) * Open Data * Open Source * Open Weights * Open Standards * Open Hardware * Open Platforms
In Open-source software, the user is given access to the sources such as source code,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Open Source Initiative |url=https://opensource.org/ |access-date=2025-10-06 |website=Open Source Initiative |language=en-US}}</ref> whereas Open-weight artificial intelligence refers to the artefact itself (typically a model, e.g. a Large Language Model) being made available, with some degree of access to training data, code and parameters that led to the creation of the model itself.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Open Weights: not quite what you've been told |url=https://opensource.org/ai/open-weights/ |access-date=2025-10-08 |website=Open Source Initiative |language=en-US}}</ref> In Open-source hardware, the user gets access to sources such as design documents and blueprints.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=http://www.osbr.ca/ojs/index.php/osbr/article/view/379/340 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106203708/http://www.osbr.ca/ojs/index.php/osbr/article/view/379/340 |archive-date=2012-01-06 |access-date=2025-10-06 |website=www.osbr.ca}}</ref> Open data is data that can be freely used and shared by anyone.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is open? |url=https://okfn.org/ |access-date=2025-10-06 |website=okfn.org |language=en-gb}}</ref>
== In psychology == In psychology, openness to experience is one of the domains which are used to describe human personality in the Five Factor Model.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Goldberg |first=L. R. | year = 1993 | title = The structure of phenotypic personality traits | url=https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0003-066X.48.1.26 |url-access=subscription| journal = American Psychologist | volume = 48 | issue = 1| pages = 26–34 | doi=10.1037/0003-066X.48.1.26 | pmid=8427480|s2cid=20595956 }}</ref><ref name = "mccrae">{{cite journal | last1 = McCrae|first1= R. R.|last2=John|first2= O. P. | year = 1992 | title = An introduction to the Five-Factor Model and its applications | journal = Journal of Personality | volume = 60 | issue = 2| pages = 175–215 | doi=10.1111/j.1467-6494.1992.tb00970.x | pmid=1635039| s2cid = 10596836 | url = https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1557&context=publichealthresources }}</ref>
==In business== {{excerpt|Open business}}
==See also== {{Wiktionary}} {{div col}} * Accessibility * Free association * Free content * Free software * Glasnost * Open source * Open access: publishing * Open innovation * Open education * Open educational resources * Open-design movement * Open government * Open Knowledge Foundation * Open knowledge * Open-mindedness * Open text * Open gaming * Open patent * Open-source curriculum * Open-source governance * Open-source journalism * Open-source model * Open standard * Openness to experience * Secrecy: the opposite of openness * The Open Definition * Transparency: openness in a utilitarian view, economic openness, open economic or politic data, degree of openness, etc. {{div col end}}
==References and notes== * {{cite book |first=Umberto |last=Eco |author-link=Umberto Eco |author2=Anna Cancogni |author3=David Robey |year=1989 |title=The Open Work |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn= 9780674639751 }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Schlagwein |first1=Daniel |last2=Conboy |first2=Kieran |last3=Feller |first3=Joseph |last4=Leimeister |first4=Jan Marco |last5=Morgan |first5=Lorraine |date=2017 |title=Openness With and Without Information Technology: A Framework and a Brief History |journal=Journal of Information Technology |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=297–305 |doi=10.1057/s41265-017-0049-3 |doi-access=free |hdl=10379/13819 |hdl-access=free }}
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Category:Open content Category:Transparency (behavior)