Transparency matters: The concept of organizational transparency in the academic discourse

Abstract

Although transparency is currently a buzzword in the public discourse, public relations (PR) theory has not yet produced a theory of transparency. Instead, its body of knowledge lacks theoretical depth and critical perspectives. Taking this as a point of departure, the article searches for alternative accounts on transparency, which could stimulate PR discourse and help to overcome the theoretical and normative deficits. Therefore it aims to discern whether or not the discourse in related disciplines such as business studies is more reflective and complex than in the PR domain. To determine this, we analysed 105 articles taken from Business Source Premier, one of the leading databases in the business field. Relying on a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis, our main findings are: (1) more than half of the articles set transparency in a positive frame; (2) a definition of transparency was given in only 13 articles; and (3) like in the public relations discourse, a theory-driven analysis of transparency is a desideratum. Only two articles set transparency within the context of a broader theoretical perspective. Both articles embed transparency in the paradigm of self-organizing systems. This paradigm looks to be a promising way forward for theory-oriented research on transparency in PR. One article provides the reader with a systematization of transparency which may provide a basis for a theory of transparency in PR.

The Role of Transparency in Humanitarian Logistics

“…Transparency is a way to achieve accountability and public trust in organizations [26,29,32,33]. It is a roadmap to enhance financial and organizational performance [34], and to drive the effectiveness of the company and extend democratic practice [35]. As an antecedent, transparency impacts positively on public trust.…”

Untitled

“…At RU, the questions of "what to share" and "whom to share it with" looms large. I noted earlier that the literature reports relatively few objections to being transparent (see Wehmeier and Raaz, 2012). At the same time-being transparent, especially fully transparent-does have implications.…”

“…Insights from the Literature Numerous studies have been completed on the topic of organizational transparency. There have been recent studies that have identified the advantages and risks associated with being transparent (e.g., Bennis, Goleman, and O'Toole, 2008); different types of transparency (e.g., Nicolaou, 2010); a framework for identifying positive frames or categories of transparency (e.g., Wehmeier and Raaz, 2012), and even some publications that have suggested principles of transparency (Noveck, 2013).…”

“…One of the most interesting studies was conducted by Wehmeier and Raaz (2012). The authors scanned the literature from 2000 through 2010 and identified 105 journal articles published on transparency.…”

Politics of Disclosure: Organizational Transparency as Multiactor Negotiation

“…Albu and Flyverbom (, 5) review the transparency literature relating to the study of organizations and conclude that “in most accounts, transparency is associated with the sharing of information” about an organization's processes, procedures, functioning, and performance. Zooming in, we find studies that measure “transparency as [the] frequency of information disclosure” (Berglund , 360; emphasis added), relate the existence of transparency to the accuracy of disclosed information (Wehmeier and Raaz ), or agree that disclosed information has to be relevant for interested parties in order to create transparency (Rawlins ).…”