The Effect of Transparency on Trust in Government: A Cross-National Comparative Experiment

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Grimmelikhuijsen, Stephan; Porumbescu, Gregory; Hong, Boram; Im, Tobin
• 署名单位: Utrecht University; Myongji University; Seoul National University (SNU)
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3352
• DOI: 10.1111/puar.12047
• 发表日期: 2013
• 页码: 575-586
• 关键词: citizen trust; confidence; satisfaction; INFORMATION

摘要

Transparency is considered a key value for trustworthy governments. However, the effect of transparency on citizens' trust across national cultures is overlooked in current research. This article compares the effect of transparency on trust in government in the Netherlands and South Korea. The effect is investigated in two similar series of three experiments. The authors hypothesize that the effect of transparency differs because the countries have different cultural values regarding power distance and short- and long-term orientation. Results reveal similar patterns in both countries: transparency has a subdued and sometimes negative effect on trust in government. However, the negative effect in South Korea is much stronger. The difference in the magnitude of transparency's effect suggests that national cultural values play a significant role in how people perceive and appreciate government transparency.