Garbage in, garbage forever: why data needs a cold-chain mentality

Purpose This paper aims to address the systemic issue of data deterioration caused by fragmented corporate data practices. It introduces the “data cold chain” as a novel regulatory framework for government-led standardization, designed to ensure data integrity and usability as information traverses organizational and sectoral boundaries. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative approach, drawing on semistructured interviews with 49 experts from 27 countries. These participants include government officials, corporate data officers and technology providers, ensuring a broad geographical and industrial perspective on data lifecycle management. Findings The research identifies four distinct features of data deterioration within corporate ecosystems and reveals how fragmented regulatory environments lead to failures in public service delivery. The findings demonstrate that internal governance is insufficient for cross-border interoperability, necessitating a shift toward binding, universal data integrity variables, such as provenance completeness and schema stability, enforced by central public authorities. Research limitations/implications This study shifts the locus of responsibility for data quality from individual firms to public institutions. It suggests that data usability and interoperability should be regulated with the same rigor as data privacy, framing the “data cold chain” as a necessary enabling infrastructure for digital governance. Practical implications This paper provides policy recommendations for regulatory bodies, such as National Data Offices, to mandate specific technical standards. It also highlights the use of public procurement rules as a nonregulatory lever to incentivize private-sector compliance and drive the adoption of harmonized data practices. Originality/value By applying the analogy of a “cold chain” from perishable supply chains to the digital economy, this paper offers a transformative perspective on the government’s role in data governance. It moves beyond voluntary industry guidelines to propose a mandatory framework that supports both business innovation and public welfare.