Element contents
Series: Elements in Public Policy
Government Transparency
State of the Art and New Perspectives
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 June 2022
Summary
This Element argues that to understand why transparency “works” in one context, but fails in another, we have to take into account how institutional (macro), organizational (meso) contexts interact with individual behavior (micro). A review of research from each of these perspectives shows that the big promises thought to accompany greater transparency during the first two decades of the 20th century have not been delivered. For example, transparency does not necessarily lead to better government performance and more trust in government. At the same time, transparency is still a hallmark of democratic governance and as this book highlights, for instance, transparency has been relatively successful in combating government corruption. Finally, by explicitly taking a multilayered perspective into account, this Element develops new paths for future research.
Keywords
- Type
- Element
- Information
- Series: Elements in Public PolicyOnline ISBN: 9781108678568Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication: 07 July 2022
References
Abushamsieh, K., López-Hernández, A. M., & Ortiz-Rodríguez, D. (2014). The development of public accounting transparency in selected Arab countries. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 80(2), 421–442.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Al-Aama, A. Y. (2012). E-procurement vs. online procurement: A means to increase transparency in a Saudi government organisation: The case of the Jeddah municipality. International Journal of Procurement Management, 5(6), 765–783.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Albu, O. B., & Flyverbom, M. (2019). Organizational transparency: Conceptualizations, conditions, and consequences. Business & Society, 58(2), 268–297.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alcaraz-Quiles, F. J., Navarro-Galera, A., & Ortiz-Rodríguez, D. (2014). Factors influencing the transparency of sustainability information in regional governments: An empirical study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 82, 179–191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alcaraz-Quiles, F. J., Navarro-Galera, A., & Ortiz-Rodríguez, D. (2015). Factors determining online sustainability reporting by local governments. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 81(1), 79–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alt, J. E., Lassen, D. D., & Rose, S. (2006). The causes of fiscal transparency: Evidence from the US states. IMF Staff Papers, 53(1), 30–57.Google Scholar
Alt, J. E., Lassen, D. D., & Skilling, D. (2002). Fiscal transparency, gubernatorial approval, and the scale of government: Evidence from the states. State Politics & Policy Quarterly, 2(3), 230–250.Google Scholar
Arapis, T., & Reitano, V. (2018). Examining the evolution of cross-national fiscal transparency. The American Review of Public Administration, 48(6), 550–564.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Araujo, J. F. F. E., & Tejedo-Romero, F. (2018). Does gender equality affect municipal transparency: The case of Spain. Public Performance & Management Review, 41(1), 69–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arellano-Gault, D. (2016). Understanding the trap of systemic corruption. Governance, 29(4), 463–465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arya, O. P., & Sharma, M. S. (2014). Transparency in delivery of entitlements through empowered Civil Society Organisations (CSOs): The Consortium of Groups for Combating Corruption (CGCC) model in Rajasthan, India. The Journal of Field Actions Science Reports, S11, 1–8.Google Scholar
Avery, E. J., & Graham, M. W. (2013). Political public relations and the promotion of participatory, transparent government through social media. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 7(4), 274–291. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2013.824885Google Scholar
Azfar, O., & Nelson, W. R. (2007). Transparency, wages, and the separation of powers: An experimental analysis of corruption. Public Choice, 130(3–4), 471–493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bastida, F., Guillamón, M. D., & Benito, B. (2017). Fiscal transparency and the cost of sovereign debt. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 83(1), 106–128.Google Scholar
Bauhr, M., Czibik, Á., de Fine Licht, J., & Fazekas, M. (2020). Lights on the shadows of public procurement: Transparency as an antidote to corruption. Governance, 33(3), 495–523.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bauhr, M., & Grimes, M. (2014). Indignation or resignation: The implications of transparency for societal accountability. Governance, 27(2), 291–320.Google Scholar
Bauhr, M., & Grimes, M. (2017). Transparency to curb corruption? Concepts, measures and empirical merit. Crime, Law and Social Change, 68(4), 431–458.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benito, B., & Bastida, F. (2009). Budget transparency, fiscal performance, and political turnout: An international approach. Public Administration Review, 69(3), 403–417.Google Scholar
Berliner, D. (2014). The political origins of transparency. The Journal of Politics, 76(2), 479–491.Google Scholar
Berliner, D., & Erlich, A. (2015). Competing for transparency: Political competition and institutional reform in Mexican states. American Political Science Review, 109(1), 110–128.Google Scholar
Berliner, D., Ingrams, A., & Piotrowski, S. (2018). The future of FOIA in an open government world: Implications of the open government agenda for freedom of information policy and implementation. Villanova Law Review, 63(December), 867–894.Google Scholar
Bertot, J. C., Gorham, U., Jaeger, P. T., Sarin, L. C., & Choi, H. (2014). Big data, open government and e-government: Issues, policies and recommendations. Information Polity, 19, 5–16.Google Scholar
Bertot, J. C., Jaeger, P. T., & Grimes, J. M. (2012). Promoting transparency and accountability through ICTs, social media, and collaborative e‐government. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 6(1), 78–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birkinshaw, P. J. (2006). Freedom of information and openness: Fundamental human rights. Administrative Law Review, 58(1), 177–218.Google Scholar
Bolívar, M. P., del Carmen Caba Pérez, M., & López-Hernández, A. M. (2015). Online budget transparency in OECD member countries and administrative culture. Administration & Society, 47(8), 943–982.Google Scholar
Bolívar, M. P., Muñoz, L., & Hernández, A. (2013). Determinants of financial transparency in government. International Public Management Journal, 16(4), 557–602.Google Scholar
Bolívar, M. P., Pérez, C., & Hernández, A. (2007). E-government and public financial reporting: The case of Spanish regional governments. The American Review of Public Administration, 37(2), 142–177.Google Scholar
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Bonsón, E., Torres, L., Royo, S., & Flores, F. (2012). Local e-government 2.0: Social media and corporate transparency in municipalities. Government Information Quarterly, 29(2), 123–132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bovens, M. (2007). Analysing and assessing accountability: A conceptual framework. European Law Journal, 13(4), 447–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0386.2007.00378.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bovens, M. (2010). Two concepts of accountability: Accountability as a virtue and as a mechanism. West European Politics, 33(5), 946–967.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brusca, I., Rossi, F. M., & Aversano, N. (2016). Online sustainability information in local governments in an austerity context. Online Information Review, 40(4), 1–28.Google Scholar
Buntaine, M. T., Daniels, B., & Devlin, C. (2018). Can information outreach increase participation in community-driven development? A field experiment near Bwindi National Park, Uganda. World Development, 106, 407–421.Google Scholar
Caamaño-Alegre, J., Lago-Peñas, S., Reyes-Santias, F., & Santiago-Boubeta, A. (2013). Budget transparency in local governments: An empirical analysis. Local Government Studies, 39(2), 182–207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caba Pérez, C., Hernández, A., & Bolívar, M. (2005). Citizens’ access to on-line governmental financial information: Practices in the European Union countries. Government Information Quarterly, 22(2), 258–276.Google Scholar
Cerrillo-i-Martínez, A. (2011). The regulation of diffusion of public sector information via electronic means: Lessons from the Spanish regulation. Government Information Quarterly, 28(2), 188–199.Google Scholar
Chen, W. Y., & Cho, F. H. T. (2019). Environmental information disclosure and societal preferences for urban river restoration: Latent class modelling of a discrete-choice experiment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 231, 1294–1306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, Y. (2012). A comparative study of e-government XBRL implementations: The potential of improving information transparency and efficiency. Government Information Quarterly, 29(4), 553–563.Google Scholar
Chen, Y. C., & Chang, T. W. (2020). Explaining government’s online transparency on collaborative policy platforms: Risk management and configurational conditions. Public Performance & Management Review, 43(3), 560–586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chun, S. A., & Cho, J. (2012). E-participation and transparent policy decision making. Information Polity, 17(2), 129–145.Google Scholar
Cicatiello, L., De Simone, E., & Gaeta, G. L. (2018). Cross-country heterogeneity in government transparency and citizens’ political efficacy: A multilevel empirical analysis. Administration & Society, 50(4), 595–623.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Copelovitch, M., Gandrud, C., & Hallerberg, M. (2018). Financial data transparency, international institutions, and sovereign borrowing costs. International Studies Quarterly, 62(1), 23–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cordis, A. S., & Warren, P. L. (2014). Sunshine as disinfectant: The effect of state Freedom of Information Act laws on public corruption. Journal of Public Economics, 115, 18–36.Google Scholar
Costa, S. (2013). Do freedom of information laws decrease corruption? The Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization, 29(6), 1317–1343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cucciniello, M., & Nasi, G. (2014). Transparency for trust in government: How effective is formal transparency? International Journal of Public Administration, 37(13), 911–921.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cucciniello, M., Bellè, N., Nasi, G., & Valotti, G. (2015). Assessing public preferences and the level of transparency in government using an exploratory approach. Social Science Computer Review, 33(5), 571–586. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439314560849Google Scholar
Cucciniello, M., Nasi, G., & Valotti, G. (2012). Assessing transparency in government: Rhetoric, Reality and Desire. 45th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2451–2461.Google Scholar
Cucciniello, M., Porumbescu, G. A., & Grimmelikhuijsen, S. (2017). 25 years of transparency research: Evidence and future directions. Public Administration Review, 77(1), 32–44.Google Scholar
Cuillier, D. (2016). The people’s right to know: Comparing Harold L. Cross’ pre-FOIA world to post-FOIA today. Communication Law and Policy, 21(4), 433–463.Google Scholar
Cuillier, D., & Piotrowski, S. J. (2009). Internet information-seeking and its relation to support for access to government records. Government Information Quarterly, 26(3), 441–449.Google Scholar
D’onza, G., Brotini, F., & Vincenzo, Z. (2017). Disclosure on measures to prevent corruption risks: A study of Italian local governments. International Journal of Public Administration, 40(7), 612–624. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2016.1143000Google Scholar
da Silva Craveiro, G., & Albano, C. (2017). Open data intermediaries: Coproduction in budget transparency. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 11(1), 119–131.Google Scholar
David-Barrett, E., & Okamura, K. (2016). Norm diffusion and reputation: The rise of the extractive industries transparency initiative. Governance, 29(2), 227–246.Google Scholar
Davis, J. (1998). Access to and transmission of information: Position of the media. In Deckmyn, V. and Thomson, I. (Eds.), Openness and transparency in the European Union (pp. 121–126). Maastricht: European Institute of Public Administration.Google Scholar
Dawes, S. S. (2010). Stewardship and usefulness: Policy principles for information-based transparency. Government Information Quarterly, 27(4), 377–383.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Boer, N. C. (2020). On the Outside, Looking In: Understanding Transparency at the Frontline (Doctoral dissertation, Department of Public Administration and Sociology (DPAS)).Google Scholar
de Boer, N., & Eshuis, J. (2018). A street‐level perspective on government transparency and regulatory performance: Does relational distance matter? Public Administration, 96(3), 452–467.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Boer, N., Eshuis, J., & Klijn, E. H. (2018). Does disclosure of performance information influence street‐level Bureaucrats’ enforcement style? Public Administration Review, 78(5), 694–704.Google Scholar
De Fine Licht, J. (2011). Do we really want to know? The potentially negative effect of transparency in decision making on perceived legitimacy. Scandinavian Political Studies, 34(3), 183–201.Google Scholar
De Fine Licht, J. (2014). Policy area as a potential moderator of transparency effects: An experiment. Public Administration Review, 74(3), 361–371. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12194Google Scholar
De Fine Licht, J., Naurin, D., Esaiasson, P., & Gilljam, M. (2014). When does transparency generate legitimacy? Experimenting on a context‐bound relationship. Governance, 27(1), 111–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12021Google Scholar
De Graaf, G., Huberts, L., & Smulders, R. (2016). Coping with public value conflicts. Administration & Society, 48(9), 1101–1127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Den Boer, M. (1998). Steamy windows: Transparency and openness in justice and home affairs. In Deckmyn, V. & Thomson, I. (Eds.), Openness and transparency in the European Union (pp. 91–105). Maastricht: European Institute of Public Administration.Google Scholar
Deng, S., Peng, J., & Wang, C. (2013). Fiscal transparency at the Chinese provincial level. Public Administration, 91(4), 947–963.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Renzio, P., & Masud, H. (2011). Measuring and promoting budget transparency: The open budget index as a research and advocacy tool. Governance, 24(3), 607–616.Google Scholar
Deuze, M. (2002). Journalists in The Netherlands: An analysis of the people, the issues and the (inter-)national environment. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Aksant.Google Scholar
DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dragos, D. C., Neamţu, B., & Cobârzan, B. V. (2012). La transparence procédurale dans les communautés rurales roumaines: le lien entre la mise en œuvre et la capacité administrative. Revue Internationale des Sciences Administratives, 78(1), 141–164.Google Scholar
Drew, C. H., & Nyerges, T. (2004). Transparency of environmental decision making: A case study of soil cleanup inside the Hanford 100 area. Journal of Risk Research, 7(1), 33–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/1366987042000151197Google Scholar
Dror, Y. (1999). Transparency and openness of quality democracy. In Kelly, M. (Ed.), Openness and transparency in governance: Challenges and opportunities (pp. 25–43). Maastricht, The Netherlands: NISPAcee Forum.Google Scholar
Epley, N., & Gilovich, T. (2016). The mechanics of motivated reasoning. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 30 (3), 133–140. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.30.3.133CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erkkilä, T. (2012). Government transparency: Impacts and unintended consequences. London, England: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Erkkilä, T. (2020). Transparency in public administration. In Thompson, William R (Ed), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://oxfordre.com/politics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-1404.Google Scholar
Esteller-Moré, A., & Polo Otero, J. (2012). Fiscal transparency: (Why) does your local government respond? Public Management Review, 14(8), 1153–1173.Google Scholar
Estrada, L., & Bastida, F. (2020). Effective transparency and institutional trust in Honduran municipal governments. Administration & Society, 52(6), 890–926. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095399719874346Google Scholar
Etzioni, A. (2010). Is transparency the best disinfectant. The Journal of Political Philosophy, 18(4), 389–404. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2731880CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eubanks, V. (2018). Automating inequality: How high-tech tools profile, police, and punish the poor. New York: St. Martin’s Press.Google Scholar
Favero, N., & Bullock, J. B. (2015). How (not) to solve the problem: An evaluation of scholarly responses to common source bias. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 25(1), 285–308.Google Scholar
Fenster, M. (2012). Disclosure’s effects: WikiLeaks and transparency, Iowa L. Rev., 97, 753.Google Scholar
Fenster, M. (2015). Transparency in search of a theory. European Journal of Social Theory, 18(2), 150–167.Google Scholar
Fenster, M. (2017). The transparency fix: Secrets, leaks, and uncontrollable government information. Stanford: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Fiol, C. M., & Lyles, M. A. (1985). Organizational learning. The Academy of Management Review, 10(4), 803–813.Google Scholar
Florini, A. (2007). The right to know: Transparency for an open world. New York: Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
Flyverbom, M. (2015). Sunlight in cyberspace? On transparency as a form of ordering. European Journal of Social Theory, 18(2), 168–184. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368431014555258Google Scholar
Fox, J. (2007). Government transparency and policymaking. Public Choice, 131(1/2), 23–44.Google Scholar
Frum, D. (September 15, 2014). The transparency trap. The Atlantic. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/09/the-transparency-trap/375074/Google Scholar
Fukuyama, F. (2014). Political order and political decay: From the industrial revolution to the globalization of democracy. New York City, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.Google Scholar
Fung, A. (2006). Varieties of participation in complex governance. Public Administration Review, 66(s1), 66–75.Google Scholar
Fung, A., Graham, M., & Weil, D. (2007). Full disclosure: The perils and promise of transparency. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Gaines, B. J., Kuklinski, J. H., & Quirk, P. J. (2007). The logic of the survey experiment reexamined. Political Analysis, 15(1), 1–20.Google Scholar
Ganapati, S., & Reddick, C. G. (2012). Open e-government in U.S. state governments: Survey evidence from chief information officers. Government Information Quarterly, 29(2), 115–122.Google Scholar
Ganapati, S., & Reddick, C. G. (2014). The use of ICT for open government in U. S. municipalities. Public Performance & Management Review, 37(3), 365–387.Google Scholar
Gandía, J. L., Marrahí, L., & Huguet, D. (2016). Digital transparency and Web 2.0 in Spanish city councils. Government Information Quarterly, 33(1), 28–39.Google Scholar
Garde Sanchez, R., Rodríguez Bolívar, M. P., & Muñoz, L. A. (2014). Are Spanish SAIs accomplishing intosai’s best practices code of transparency and accountability? Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, 10(43), 122–145.Google Scholar
Garrido-Rodríguez, J. C., Zafra-Gómez, J. L., & López-Hernández, A. M. (2017). Measuring local government transparency. Influence of political sign in multidimensional analysis. Lex Localis – Journal of Local Self-Government, 15(4), 889–917.Google Scholar
Gavazza, A., & Lizzeri, A. (2009). Transparency and economic policy. The Review of Economic Studies, 76(3), 1023–1048.Google Scholar
Giddens, A. (1984). The constitution of society: Outline of the theory of structuration. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Graham, F. S., Gooden, S. T., & Martin, K. J. (2016). Navigating the transparency–privacy paradox in public sector data sharing. The American Review of Public Administration, 46(5), 569–591. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074014561116Google Scholar
Graham, M. (2002). Democracy by disclosure: The rise of techno populism. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G. (2007). Transparency of government and political trust. International Conference on Experimental Methods in Political Science, Brussels.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G. (2010). Transparency of public decision‐making: Towards trust in local government? Policy & Internet, 2(1), 5–35. https://doi.org/10.2202/1944-2866.1024Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G. (2011). Being transparent or spinning the message? An experiment into the effects of varying message content on trust in government. Information Polity, 16(1), 35–50.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G. (2012). Linking transparency, knowledge, and citizen trust in government: An experiment. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 78(1), 50–73.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., Herkes, F., Leistikow, I. et al. (2019). Can decision transparency increase citizen trust in regulatory agencies? Evidence from a representative survey experiment. Regulation & Governance, 15(1), 17–31.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., Jilke, S., Olsen, A. L., & Tummers, L. (2017). Behavioral public administration: Combining insights from public administration and psychology. Public Administration Review, 77(1), 45–56.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., & Klijn, A. (2015). The effects of judicial transparency on public trust: Evidence from a field experiment. Public Administration, 93(4), 995–1011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., & Meijer, A. J. (2014). Effects of transparency on the perceived trustworthiness of a government organization: Evidence from an online experiment. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 24(1), 137–157. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mus048Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., & Meijer, A. J. (2015). Does Twitter increase perceived police legitimacy? Public Administration Review, 75(4), 598–607.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., Piotrowski, S. J., & Van Ryzin, G. G. (2020). Latent transparency and trust in government: Unexpected findings from two survey experiments. Government Information Quarterly, 37(4), 101497.Google Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., Porumbescu, G., Hong, B., & Im, T. (2013). The effect of transparency on trust in government: A cross‐national comparative experiment. Public Administration Review, 73(4), 575–586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grimmelikhuijsen, S. G., & Welch, E. W. (2012). Developing and testing a theoretical framework for computer‐mediated transparency of local governments. Public Administration Review, 72(4), 562–571.Google Scholar
Gunawong, P. (2015). Open government and social media: A focus on transparency. Social Science Computer Review, 33(5), 587–598. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439314560685Google Scholar
Harrison, T., Guerrero, S., & Burke, G. (2012). Open government and e-government: Democratic challenges from a public value perspective. Information Polity, 17(2), 83–97.Google Scholar
Hazell, R., & Worthy, B. (2010). Assessing the performance of freedom of information. Government Information Quarterly, 27(4), 352–359.Google Scholar
Heald, D. (2006). Varieties of transparency. In Hood, C. & Heald, D. (Eds.), Transparency: The Key to Better Governance? (pp. 25–43). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Heald, D. (2012). Why is transparency about public expenditure so elusive? International Review of Administrative Sciences, 78(1), 30–49.Google Scholar
Heimstädt, M., & Dobusch, L. (2018). Politics of disclosure: Organizational transparency as multiactor negotiation. Public Administration Review, 78(5), 727–738.Google Scholar
Hillebrandt, M. Z. (2017). Transparency as a platform for institutional politics: The case of the council of the European Union. Politics and Governance, 5(3), 62–74.Google Scholar
Holmberg, S., Rothstein, B., & Nasiritousi, N. (2009). Quality of government: What you get. Annual Review of Political Science, 12(1), 135–161.Google Scholar
Holmstrom, B. (1982). Moral hazard in teams. Bell Journal of Economics, 13(2), 324–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/3003457CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hong, H. (2014). The Internet, transparency, and government–public relationships in Seoul, South Korea. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 500–502.Google Scholar
Hood, C. (2001). Transparency. In Clarke, Paul Barry and Foweraker, Joe (Eds), Encyclopedia of Democratic Thought, (pp. 700–705). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Hood, C. (2006). Transparency in historical perspective. In Hood, C. & Heald, D. (Eds.), Transparency: The Key to Better Governance? (pp. 4–23). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Hood, C. (2007). What happens when transparency meets blame-avoidance? Public Management Review, 9(2), 191–210.Google Scholar
Hood, C. (2010). Accountability and transparency: Siamese twins, matching parts, awkward couple? West European Politics, 33(5), 989–1009. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2010.486122CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hood, C. (2011). From FOI world to WikiLeaks world: A new chapter in the transparency story. Governance, 24(4), 635–638.Google Scholar
Hood, C., & Heald, D. (2006). Transparency: The key to better governance? (Vol. 135). Oxford: Oxford University Press for the British Academy.Google Scholar
Hyun, C., Post, A. E., & Ray, I. (2018). Frontline worker compliance with transparency reforms: Barriers posed by family and financial responsibilities. Governance, 31(1), 65–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12268Google Scholar
Ingrams, A. (2018). Democratic transition and transparency reform. An fsQCA analysis of access to information laws in twenty-three countries. Government Information Quarterly, 35(3), 428–436.Google Scholar
Ito, T. (2002). Is Foreign Exchange Intervention Effective? The Japanese Experiences in the 1990s. (NBER Working Paper No. 8914). National Bureau of Economic Research. www.nber.org/papers/w8914Google Scholar
Janssen, M., Matheus, R., Longo, J., & Weerakkody, V. (2017). Transparency-by-design as a foundation for open government. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 11(1), 2–8.Google Scholar
Janssen, M., & van den Hoven, J. (2015). Big and open linked data (BOLD) in government: A challenge to transparency and privacy? Government Information Quarterly, 32(4), 363–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jilke, S., Olsen, A. L., Resh, W., & Siddiki, S. (2019). Microbrook, Mesobrook, Macrobrook. Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, 2(4), 245–253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
John, P. (2020). Improving causal claims in public policy through randomized designs in the field. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 24(1), 16–32.Google Scholar
Jordan, M., Yusuf, J., Berman, M., & Gilchrist, C. (2017). Popular financial reports as fiscal transparency mechanisms: An assessment using the fiscal transparency index for the citizen user. International Journal of Public Administration, 40(8), 625–636.Google Scholar
Justice, J. B., Melitski, J., & Smith, D. L. (2006). E-Government as an instrument of fiscal accountability and responsiveness: Do the best practitioners employ the best practices? The American Review of Public Administration, 36(3), 301–322.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, C. (November 9, 2020). Poll: 70 percent of Republicans don’t think the election was free and fair. Politico. www.politico.com/news/2020/11/09/republicans-free-fair-elections-435488Google Scholar
Kim, S., & Lee, J. (2012). E‐participation, transparency, and trust in local government. Public Administration Review, 72(6), 819–828.Google Scholar
Kimball, M. B. (2011). Mandated state-level open government training programs. Government Information Quarterly, 28(4), 474–483.Google Scholar
Kosack, S., & Fung, A. (2014). Does transparency improve governance? Annual Review of Political Science, 17(1), 65–87. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-032210-144356Google Scholar
Kozlowski, S. W. J., & Klein, K. J. (2000). A multilevel approach to theory and research in organizations: Contextual, temporal, and emergent processes. In Klein, K. J. & Kozlowski, S. W. J. (Eds.), Multilevel Theory, Research, and Methods in Organizations: Foundations, Extensions, and New Directions (pp. 3–90). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Lagunes, P., & Pocasangre, O. (2019). Dynamic transparency: An audit of Mexico’s freedom of information act. Public Administration, 97(1), 162–176.Google Scholar
Larbi, B., Baiden, B. K., & Agyekum, K. (2019). Compliance with transparency provisions in the public procurement act, 2003 (Act 663). International Journal of Procurement Management, 12(1), 112–133.Google Scholar
Lerner, J., & Tetlock, P. E. (1999). Accounting for the effects of accountability. Psychological Bulletin, 125(2), 255–275.Google Scholar
Li, G., Yefen, C., & Zhong, F. (2019). Pollution transparency mechanisms for commodities: A game-theoretic analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 237(10), 117789.Google Scholar
Lindstedt, C., & Naurin, D. (2010). Transparency is not enough: Making transparency effective in reducing corruption. International Political Science Review, 31(3), 301–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512110377602Google Scholar
Liu, A. C. (2016). Two faces of transparency: The regulations of people’s republic of china on open government information. International Journal of Public Administration, 39(6), 492–503.Google Scholar
Lourenço, R. P. (2015). An analysis of open government portals: A perspective of transparency for accountability. Government Information Quarterly, 32(3), 323–332.Google Scholar
Mason, D., Hillenbrand, C., & Money, K. (2014). Are informed citizens more trusting? Transparency of performance data and trust towards a British police force. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(2), 321–341.Google Scholar
McDermott, P. (2010). Building open government. Government Information Quarterly, 27(4), 401–413.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. (2015). Government transparency in historical perspective: From the ancient regime to open data in the Netherlands. International Journal of Public Administration, 38(3), 189–199.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J. (2000). Anticipating accountability processes. Archives and Manuscripts, 28(1), 52–63.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J. (2003). Transparent government: Parliamentary and legal accountability in an information age. Information Polity, 8(1/2), 67–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meijer, A. J. (2005). Risk maps on the internet: Transparency and the management of risks. Information Polity, 10(1), 105–113.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J. (2007). Publishing public performance results on the internet: Do stakeholders use the internet to hold Dutch public service organizations to account? Government Information Quarterly, 24(1), 165–185.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J. (2009a). Does transparency lead to better education? The effects in the Netherlands of publishing school performance indicators on the internet. In Meijer, A., Boersma, K. & Wagenaar, P. (Eds.), ICTs, Citizens & Governance: After the Hype! (pp. 38–49). Amsterdam: IOS Press.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J. (2009b). Understanding modern transparency. International Review of the Administrative Sciences, 75(2), 255–269.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J. (2013). Understanding the complex dynamics of transparency. Public Administration Review, 73(3), 429–439. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12032Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J., & Homburg, V. (2009). Disclosure and compliance: The “pillory” as an innovative regulatory instrument. Information Polity, 14(4), 263–278.Google Scholar
Meijer, A. J., ’t Hart, P., & Worthy, B. (2018). Accessing government transparency: An interpretative framework. Administration and Society, 50(4), 501–526. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0095399715598341Google Scholar
Meijer, R., Conradie, P., & Choenni, S. (2014). Reconciling Contradictions of Open Data Regarding Transparency, Privacy, Security and Trust. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 9(3), 32-44.Google Scholar
Michael, B., & Bates, M. (2003). Assessing international fiscal and monetary transparency: The role of standards, knowledge management and project design. International Public Management Journal, 6(2), 95–116.Google Scholar
Michener, G. (2015). How cabinet size and legislative control shape the strength of transparency laws. Governance, 28(1), 77–94.Google Scholar
Michener, G. (2019). Gauging the impact of transparency policies. Public Administration Review, 79(1), 136–139.Google Scholar
Michener, G., & Bersch, K. (2013). Identifying transparency. Information Polity, 18(3), 233–242.Google Scholar
Michener, G., Coelho, J., & Moreira, D. (2021). Are governments complying with transparency? Findings from 15 years of evaluation. Government Information Quarterly, 38(2), 101565.Google Scholar
Michener, G., & Ritter, O. (2017). Comparing resistance to open data performance measurement: Public education in Brazil and the UK. Public Administration, 95(1), 4–21.Google Scholar
Michener, G., & Worthy, B. (2018). The information-gathering matrix: A framework for conceptualizing the use of freedom of information laws. Administration & Society, 50(4), 476–500.Google Scholar
Moynihan, D. (2018). A great schism approaching? Towards a micro and macro public administration. Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, 1(1), https://doi.org/10.30636/jbpa.11.15Google Scholar
Navarro-Galera, A., Alcaraz-Quiles, F. J., & Ortiz-Rodríguez, D. (2016). Online dissemination of information on sustainability in regional governments: Effects of technological factors. Government Information Quarterly, 33(1), 53–66.Google Scholar
Navarro-Galera, A., Ruiz-Lozano, M., Tirado-Valencia, P., & Ríos-Berjillos, A. D. L. (2017). Promoting sustainability transparency in European local governments: An empirical analysis based on administrative cultures. Sustainability, 9(3), 432.Google Scholar
Obama, B. (January 21, 2009). Memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies: Transparency and open government. [Memorandum]. Federal Register. www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernmentGoogle Scholar
Ortiz-Rodríguez, D., Navarro-Galera, A., & Alcaraz-Quiles, F. J. (2018). The influence of administrative culture on sustainability transparency in European local governments. Administration & Society, 50(4), 555–594.Google Scholar
Ostrom, E. (1990). Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Overman, S., & Schillemans, T. (2022). Toward a public administration theory of felt accountability. Public Administration Review, 82(1), 12–22, https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13417Google Scholar
Park, H., & Blenkinsopp, J. (2011). The roles of transparency and trust in the relationship between corruption and citizen satisfaction. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 77(2), 254–274.Google Scholar
Park, H., & Blenkinsopp, J. (2017). Transparency is in the eye of the beholder: The effects of identity and negative perceptions on ratings of transparency via surveys. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 83 (1_suppl), 177–194.Google Scholar
Peisakhin, L. (2011). Transparency and corruption: Evidence from India. The Journal of Law and Economics, 55(1), 129–149.Google Scholar
Peters, B., & Nagel, M. (2020). Zombie ideas: Why failed policy ideas persist (Elements in public policy). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Pina, V., & Torres, L. (2019). Online transparency and corporate governance in Spanish governmental agencies. Online Information Review, 43(4), 653–675.Google Scholar
Pina, V., Torres, L., & Royo, S. (2010). Is e‐government leading to more accountable and transparent local governments? An overall view. Financial Accountability & Management, 26(1), 3–20.Google Scholar
Piotrowski, S. J. (2007). Governmental transparency in the path of administrative reform. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Piotrowski, S. J. (2017). The “open government reform” movement: The case of the open government partnership and US transparency policies. The American Review of Public Administration, 47(2), 155–171. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0275074016676575Google Scholar
Piotrowski, S. J., & Borry, E. (2010). An analytic framework for open meetings and transparency. Public Administration & Management, 15(1), 138–176.Google Scholar
Piotrowski, S. J., & Rosenbloom, D. H. (2002). Nonmission–based values in results–oriented public management: The case of freedom of information. Public Administration Review, 62, 643–657.Google Scholar
Piotrowski, S. J., Grimmelikhuijsen, S., & Deat, F. (2019). Numbers over narratives? How government message strategies affect citizens’ attitudes. Public Performance & Management Review, 42(5), 1005–1028. https://doi.org/10.1080/15309576.2017.1400992Google Scholar
Piotrowski, S. J., & Van Ryzin, G. G. (2007). Citizen attitudes toward transparency in local government. The American Review of Public Administration, 37(3), 306–323. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074006296777Google Scholar
Pollitt, C., & Bouckaert, G. (2004). Public management reform: A comparative analysis. (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G. (2015). Using transparency to enhance responsiveness and trust in local government: Can it work? State and Local Government Review, 47(3), 205–213.Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G., & Grimmelikhuijsen, S. (2018). Linking decision-making procedures to decision acceptance and citizen voice: Evidence from two studies. The American Review of Public Administration, 48(8), 902–914. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074017734642Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G., Bellé, N., Cucciniello, M., & Nasi, G. (2017). Translating policy transparency into policy understanding and policy support: Evidence from a survey experiment. Public Administration, 95(4), 990–1008.Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G. A. (2017). Does transparency improve citizens’ perceptions of government performance? Evidence from Seoul, South Korea. Administration & Society, 49(3), 443–468.Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G. A. (2018). Assessing the implications of online mass media for citizens’ evaluations of government. Policy Design and Practice, 1(3), 233–240.Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G. A., & Im, T. (2015). Using transparency to reinforce responsibility and responsiveness. In Perry, J. & Christensen, R., (Eds.), The Handbook of public administration, (3rd ed.) (pp. 120–136). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G. A., Cucciniello, M., Belle, N., & Nasi, G. (2020). Only hearing what they want to hear: Assessing when and why performance information triggers intentions to coproduce. Public Administration, 99(4) 789–802. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12697Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G. A., Grimes, M., & Grimmelikhuijsen, S. (2021). Capturing the social relevance of government transparency and accountability using a behavioral lens. Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, 4(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.30636/jbpa.41.241Google Scholar
Porumbescu, G. A., Lindeman, M. I., Ceka, E., & Cucciniello, M. (2017). Can transparency foster more understanding and compliant citizens? Public Administration Review, 77(6), 840–850.Google Scholar
Pozen, D. E. (2018). Transparency’s ideological drift. Yale Law Journal, 128, 100–165.Google Scholar
Pozen, D. E. (2019). Hardball and/as anti-hardball. N.Y.U. Journal of Legislation & Public Policy, 21, 949–955.Google Scholar
Pozen, D. E. (2020). Seeing transparency more clearly. Public Administration Review, 80(2), 326–331.Google Scholar
Puron-Cid, G. (2014). Factors for a successful adoption of budgetary transparency innovations: A questionnaire report of an open government initiative in Mexico. Government Information Quarterly, 31(1), S49–S62.Google Scholar
Rauh, C. (2016). A responsive technocracy? EU politicisation and the consumer policies of the European commission. Colchester: ECPR Press.Google Scholar
Relly, J. E., & Cuillier, D. (2010). A comparison of political, cultural, and economic indicators of access to information in Arab and non-Arab states. Government Information Quarterly, 27(4), 360–370.Google Scholar
Ríos, A. M., Benito, B., & Bastida, F. (2013). Determinants of central government budget disclosure: An international comparative analysis. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 15(3), 235–254.Google Scholar
Roberts, A. (2000). Less government, more secrecy: Reinvention and the weakening of freedom of information law. Public Administration Review, 60(4), 308–320.Google Scholar
Roberts, A. (2006). Blacked out: Government secrecy in the information age. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Roberts, A. (2012). Wikileaks: The illusion of transparency. International Review of the Administrative Sciences, 78(1), 116–133.Google Scholar
Roberts, A. (2020). Bridging levels of public administration: How macro shapes meso and micro. Administration & Society, 52(4), 631–656.Google Scholar
Roberts, A. S. (2005). Spin control and freedom of information: Lessons for the United Kingdom from Canada. Public Administration, 83(1), 1–23.Google Scholar
Roberts, J. (2009). No one is perfect: The limits of transparency and ethic for “intelligent” accountability. Accountability, Organization and Society, 34(8), 957–970.Google Scholar
Rodríguez Bolívar, M. P., del Carmen Caba Pérez, M., & López-Hernández, A. M. (2015). Online budget transparency in OECD member countries and administrative culture. Administration & Society, 47(8), 943–982.Google Scholar
Roelofs, P. (2019). Transparency and mistrust: Who or what should be made transparent? Governance, 32(3), 565–580.Google Scholar
Rose, S., & Smith, D. (2012). Budget slack, institutions, and transparency. Public Administration Review, 72(2), 187–195.Google Scholar
Royo, S., Yetano, A., & Acerete, B. (2014). E‐participation and environmental protection: Are local governments really committed? Public Administration Review, 74(1), 87–98.Google Scholar
Ruijer, H. J. M. (2013). Proactive transparency and government communication in the USA and the Netherlands (Dissertation). https://www.proquest.com/docview/1500831668?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=trueGoogle Scholar
Ruijer, H. E. (2013). Proactive transparency and government communication in the USA and the Netherlands. Virginia Commonwealth University.Google Scholar
Ruijer, E. (2017). Proactive transparency in the United States and the Netherlands: The role of government communication officials. The American Review of Public Administration, 47(3), 354–375.Google Scholar
Ruijer, E., & Meijer, A. (2016). National transparency regimes: Rules or principles? A comparative analysis of the United States and The Netherlands. International Journal of Public Administration, 39(11), 895–908.Google Scholar
Ruijer, E., Détienne, F., Baker, M., Groff, J., & Meijer, A. (2020). The politics of open government data: Understanding organizational responses to pressure for more transparency. The American Review of Public Administration, 50(3), 260–274.Google Scholar
Safarov, I. (2019). Institutional dimensions of open government data implementation: Evidence from the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK. Public performance & management review, 42(2), 305–328.Google Scholar
Scholtes, E. (2012). Transparantie, icoon van een dolende overheid. Den Haag: Boom Lemma.Google Scholar
Schudson, M. (2020). The shortcomings of transparency for democracy. American Behavioral Scientist, 64(11), 1670–1678.Google Scholar
Scott, P. G., & Falcone, S. (1998). Comparing public and private organizations: An exploratory analysis of three frameworks. The American Review of Public Administration, 28(2), 126–145.Google Scholar
Searson, E. M., & Johnson, M. A. (2010). Transparency laws and interactive public relations: An analysis of Latin American government Web sites. Public Relations Review, 36(2), 120–126.Google Scholar
Simon, H. A. (1947a). Administrative behavior: A study of decision-making processes in administrative organization. New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Simon, H. A. (1947b). A comment on “the science of public administration.” Public Administration Review, 7(3), 200–203.Google Scholar
Skyttner, L. (2005). General systems theory: Problems, perspectives, practice. Singapore: World Scientific.Google Scholar
Song, C., & Lee, J. (2016). Citizens’ use of social media in government, perceived transparency, and trust in government. Public Performance & Management Review, 39(2), 430–453.Google Scholar
Spicer, Z. (2017). Bridging the accountability and transparency gap in inter-municipal collaboration. Local Government Studies, 43(3), 388–407.Google Scholar
Stewart, D. R. C., & Davis, C. N. (2016). Bringing back full disclosure: A call for dismantling FOIA. Communication Law and Policy, 21(4), 515–537.Google Scholar
Szabo, S., Profiroiu, M., Porumbescu, G. A., & Ceka, E. (2016). Linking objective-oriented transparency to political leadership and strategic planning. Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, 12, 75–90.Google Scholar
The Right to Info. (n.d.). Access to information laws: Overview and statutory goals. www.right2info.org/access-to-information-lawsGoogle Scholar
Thornton, J. B., & Thornton, E. (2013). Assessing state government financial transparency websites. Reference Services Review, 41(2), 366–387.Google Scholar
Van Erp, J. (2011). Naming without shaming: The publication of sanctions in the Dutch financial market. Regulation & Governance, 5(3), 287–308. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5991.2011.01115.xGoogle Scholar
Van Zyl, A. (2014). How civil society organizations close the gap between transparency and accountability. Governance, 27(2), 347–356.Google Scholar
Weiss, T. G. (2000). Governance, good governance and global governance: Conceptual and actual challenges. Third World Quarterly, 21(5), 795–814.Google Scholar
Welch, E. W., & Wong, W. (2001). Global information technology pressure and government accountability: The mediating effect of domestic context on web site openness. Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 11(4), 509–538.Google Scholar
Welch, E. W., Hinnant, C. C., & Moon, M. J. (2005). Linking citizen satisfaction with e-government and trust in government. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 15(3), 371–391.Google Scholar
Westerback, L. K. (2000). Toward best practices for strategic information technology management. Government Information Quarterly, 17(1), 27–41.Google Scholar
Wilson, B., & Chakraborty, A. (2019). Planning smart(er) cities: The promise of civic technology. Journal of Urban Technology, 26(4), 29–51.Google Scholar
Wood, T., & Aronczyk, M. (2020). Publicity and transparency. American Behavioral Scientist, 64(11), 1531–1544.Google Scholar
Worthy, B. (2010). More open but not more trusted? The effect of the freedom of information act 2000 on the United Kingdom central government. Governance, 23(4), 561–582.Google Scholar
Worthy, B. (2013). “Some are more open than others”: Comparing the impact of the Freedom of Information act 2000 on local and central government in the UK. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 15(5), 395–414.Google Scholar
Worthy, B. (2015). The impact of open data in the UK: Complex, unpredictable and political. Public Administration, 93(3), 788–805.Google Scholar
Worthy, B., John, P., & Vannoni, M. (2017). Transparency at the parish pump: A field experiment to measure the effectiveness of freedom of information requests in England. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 27(3), 485–500.Google Scholar
Wu, W., Ma, L., & Yu, W. (2017). Government transparency and perceived social equity: Assessing the moderating effect of citizen trust in China. Administration & Society, 49(6), 882–906.Google Scholar
Xiao, W. (2010). China’s limited push model of FOI legislation. Government Information Quarterly, 27(4), 346–351.Google Scholar
Yavuz, N., & Welch, E. (2014). Factors affecting openness of local government websites: Examining the differences across planning, finance and police departments. Government Information Quarterly, 31(4), 574–583.Google Scholar
Yu-Che, C. (2012). A comparative study of e-government XBRL implementations: The potential of improving information transparency and efficiency. Government Information Quarterly, 29(4), 553–563.Google Scholar
Zakaria, F., & Yew, L. (1994). Culture is destiny: A conversation with Lee Kuan Yew. Foreign Affairs, 73(2), 109–126. https://doi.org/10.2307/20045923Google Scholar
Zuo, A., & Wheeler, S. (2019). Maximising the use of national pollution data: Views from stakeholders in Australia. Journal of Cleaner Production, 455–463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.029Google Scholar
- 17
- Cited by