Transparency and City Government Communications

This study advances the development of a transparency model for government communicators. Previous research conducted by Fairbanks et al. (2007) used in-depth interviews of federal public information officers to develop a three-dimensional model composed of “valuing transparency,” “organizational support,” “communication practices” and “provision of resources.” This study develops a quantitative instrument to confirm the dimensions of the model and to predict which of the dimensions best predicts perceived governmental transparency at the city level. All three parts of the model were supported by the finding. This study also shows that valuing transparency has very little effect on predicting whether an organization is going to be perceived as being transparent. Organizational support was also evident and that the communicator has a place at the decision-making table. Although having sufficient resources to practice transparency was not as strong a predictor of perceptions of organizational transparency, it appeared to be the biggest obstacle