Decentralizing Data Governance: A Case Study in TELCO Data Ecosystems

Abstract

Data governance is crossing organizational boundaries. However, governance mechanisms for data ecosystems have particularities, and tools to assist companies in steering decentralized data governance are lacking. This paper addresses these two gaps by presenting the results of a case study in the telecommunications industry (TELCO). After evaluating seventeen data governance maturity models and modeling the network actors’ architecture, we classify data governance mechanisms across different companies according to the most prevailing profile of (1) data consumer, (2) data producer, and (3) data prosumer. Our findings confirm the significant differences in governing data ecosystems and present foundational data governance mechanisms for socio-technical networks. The results offer a starting point for the required data governance dimensions of more advanced maturity models crucial to developing a data ecosystem. For practice, our work illustrates essential decentralized data governance mechanisms in a highly regulated sector of the economy.