Governing Openness for Development

A Mechanism-Based Theory of Open Development as an Endogenous, Knowledge-Centered Paradigm in African Contexts

Abstract

This article develops a mechanism-based theory of open development as a distinct, knowledge-centered development paradigm grounded in endogenous growth theory and the economics of knowledge. Although open development is widely invoked in policy and practice through initiatives such as open data, participatory platforms, and open educational resources, its conceptual boundaries and developmental logic often remain underspecified, leading it to be conflated with digital development more broadly. To address this gap, the article defines open development narrowly as development processes organized around institutionalized openness, including reusable knowledge resources, participatory knowledge production, and networked diffusion. It identifies three core mechanisms through which openness may shape development outcomes: expanded access and usability of knowledge, networked recombination and diffusion, and feedback-driven collective learning. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship in development studies, endogenous growth theory, ICT4D, and human development, the article explains how these mechanisms may contribute to capability expansion, inclusion, resilience, and institutional responsiveness in African contexts. At the same time, it argues that these outcomes are contingent on governance arrangements, power relations, participation capacity, and ethical safeguards. Analytical illustrations are used to clarify theory–practice alignment rather than to claim causal attribution or continent-wide generalization. The article concludes by advancing governed openness as a policy orientation and by outlining implications for mechanism-aligned evaluation and future comparative research.