Transparency and citizen satisfaction: a meta-analysis and future research agenda

This study is the first meta-analysis to synthesize empirical evidence on the transparency-satisfaction nexus. Based on 143 effects from 54 primary studies, we find that transparency has a modest positive effect on citizen satisfaction. The meta-regression results further indicate that the impact of transparency on citizen satisfaction is moderated by the categorization of key concepts, policy areas, research settings, and study characteristics. We discuss important implications and suggest a rich agenda for future research, including a greater focus on the different types of transparency and satisfaction, and more attention to the diverse policy and research settings.