Pitfalls and promises of transparency in the digital age. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vujnovic, Marina; Kruckeberg, Dean
• Is Part Of: Public relations inquiry. Volume 5:Number 2(2016:May)
• Page Start: 121
• Page End: 143
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Audit culture -- authenticity -- contemporary global society -- hypocrisy -- modernism -- neoliberal capitalism -- neoliberalism -- pseudo-transparency -- transparency -- trust; Public relations -- Periodicals; 659.205
• DOI: 10.1177/2046147X16635227
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-147X

Abstract

This article re-examines transparency as it is conceptualized in communication, particularly in public relations, and it introduces the concept of pseudo-transparency. Transparency in the public relations literature is rarely examined from a critical perspective. We conclude from our re-examination that transparency is a product of modernism and neoliberalism; as such, we argue that the concept is used by organizations, that is, governments, civil society organizations, and corporations, to reproduce and to maintain a status quo to be accepted without interrogation or critical inquiry. Based on this re-examination, we advocate that public relations practitioners must be at the forefront in resolving ethical issues that are related to transparency and to pseudo-transparency in contemporary global society.