This report delves into how Public Sector Organizations (PSOs) and the public sector at large facilitate software reuse, specifically through Open Source Software (OSS) as an instrument. The report is commissioned by the Danish Agency for Digital Government (Digitaliseringsstyrelsen[1]) and Local Government Denmark (KL[2]), which provide input on how Danish PSOs can specifically improve at reaping benefits by reusing existing software and creating value by developing software in a way that can be reused.

A qualitative survey is conducted on a sample of 15 countries considered mature in their digital practices, as indicated through a set of digital maturity indicators. These countries are surveyed in terms of government policies, rationales, support mechanisms, means of promotion, and success stories related to software reuse. The surveyed countries exhibit diverse policies, emphasizing interoperability, digital sovereignty, transparency, and cost efficiency. Economic arguments, interoperability, and transparency are prominent goals, while digital sovereignty varies. Security concerns are discussed, acknowledging both risks and benefits of OSS. The report identifies emerging support structures, including Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs), crucial for institutional capacity. Success stories highlight the transformation to sustainable governance enabled through the use of neutral proxy organizations acting as stewards for public sector OSS projects.

Recommendations are provided that focus on fostering software reuse through OSS adoption, aiming to guide policy- and decisionmakers at national, regional, and local government levels. The report contributes valuable insights for countries, like Denmark, seeking to leverage software reuse through OSS in their digital transformations. [1] https://digst.dk/[2] https://www.kl.dk/

A comparative analysis of the Mobility Data Specification and alternative standards - lessons learned for the Swedish transport system

Previous research results show that Mobility Data Specification (MDS) has been developed and widely spread in a relatively short time, and that the use of MDS has helped cities implement regulatory issues relating to e-scooters and also created business opportunities for external software developers (Rudmark et al., 2023). The main purpose of this report is to, through comparative analysis, further explore and evaluate which success factors can explain OMF/MDS's quick results and to make recommendations for the Swedish transport system based on the analysis. Special consideration is also given to how the EU's delegated acts relate to the various standards. The report builds further on results from previous research within the project (Rudmark, 2022a, 2022b; Rudmark et al., 2023). In addition, a number of supplementary interviews have been conducted with individuals with experience from NeTEx, MDS and NOPTIS.

The proliferation of Open Source Software (OSS) adoption and collaboration has surged within industry, resulting in its ubiquitous presence in commercial offerings and shared digital infrastructure. However, in the public sector, both awareness and adoption of OSS is still in its infancy due to a number of obstacles including regulatory, cultural, and capacity-related challenges. This special issue is a call for action, highlighting the necessity for both research and practice to narrow the gap, selectively transfer and adapt existing knowledge, as well as generate new knowledge to enable the public sector to fully harness the potential benefits OSS has to offer.