Transparency in small groups: Identity dilemmas and meetings as a site for generation versus production

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/8s45qb53p

Abstract

Transparency is a communication phenomenon that encompasses a wide range of understandings and definitions (e.g., information-sharing, visibility, accountability). It is often used as a call to action from internal/external stakeholders of larger organizations and corporations. However, due to its multiplicity of meanings, calling for “transparency” can signify different things to different people. As a complement to the vast array of organizational communication literature on transparency, this study focuses on how transparent communication within corporate teams can create professional identity dilemmas for group members. Further, this study explores how meetings serve as sites that help accomplish different aspects of transparency. Data for this study was collected through two rounds of qualitative interviews with individuals on two different teams within two different corporations as well as weekly meeting observations of these same teams. This study concludes that transparency is better thought of as non-binary and that instead of asking it to accomplish multiple things at once, when we call for transparency, we should focus on what specific aspects of transparency we are trying to achieve. Further, when considering how this plays out in meetings, teams within organizations should emphasize what kinds of meetings serve which specific purposes in order to effectively achieve different components of transparency.

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