Rethinking government transparency: a meta-analytic review of its effect on citizen satisfaction

Drawing on expectancy disconfirmation theory (EDT), this study utilizes a systematic review and meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of government transparency on citizen satisfaction. By synthesizing findings from 35 studies and 55 effect sizes, this article aims to provide a thorough assessment of the strength and direction of this relationship. Moreover, our study examined the ways in which these relationships are shaped by differences in transparency measurements, the public services provided, and the cultural contexts where they are embedded. The findings illustrated an overall positive and significant relationship (0.346, p < 0.001) between transparency and citizen satisfaction. The results further indicated that service types and transparency forms emerge as key moderators in the transparency-satisfaction nexus, while cultural differences remain insignificant. These insights advanced understanding of complicated determinants in transparency effectiveness, providing guidance for strategic information disclosure in public administration.