Explaining the freedom of information in local government: What influences information disclosure?

Francisca Tejedo Romero,Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves Araujo

doi:10.22201/fca.24488410e.2020.2299

Francisca Tejedo Romero, Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves Araujo

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.22201/fca.24488410e.2020.2299

Copy DOI

Abstract

This paper analyses the factors that influenced the freedom of information in Spanish municipalities and which explain the levels of information disclosure. A dynamic panel System General Method of Moments (System-GMM) estimation was used to analyses data from 100 Spanish largest municipalities for the period of 2008-2014. The analysis indicates that disclosure of information about municipal management is associated with financial dependence, internet access, unemployment, electoral turnout and political rivalry.

Highlights

In recent decades, the pressure to make public organizations more transparent and the Freedom of Information laws1 (FOI), altered the traditional culture of Public Administration and increased information disclosure, reinforcing the ability of the public to access government information (Piotrowski & Van Ryzin, 2007).Information disclosure is a mechanism to improve the public trust, and hold politicians and officials accountable for their actions and outcomes (Park & Blenkinsopp, 2011)
This paper aimed to analyse the drivers for information disclosure in the largest Spanish municipalities using panel data analysis
Since the large municipalities are relevant, the sample was partitioned into two categories according to the criteria: province capital municipalities and not province capital municipalities

Summary

Introduction

Information disclosure is a mechanism to improve the public trust, and hold politicians and officials accountable for their actions and outcomes (Park & Blenkinsopp, 2011) It has increased worldwide in the public sector under the designation of transparency and it is an indirect effect promoted by New Public Management and New Public Governance (Gonzalez, Gasco & Llopis, 2007; Osborne, 2006), by opening public organizations, and increasing the mechanisms of communication, accountability and transparency. Lowatcharin and Menifield (2015) point out the need to further development concerning the factors influencing the levels of transparency In this regard, Cucciniello et al (2017) propose the way forward suggesting to academics to do similar studies in order to systematically identify contextual conditions that affect transparency outcomes, and conduct analyses using different approaches

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion