Are claims of transparency to be believed?

This project tests whether or not leaders, when given a choice, reveal a preference for transparency (i.e. reveal all relevant information to their followers). We examine if transparency is a principle that leaders truly hold dear, how followers respond to transparency, when and if transparency improves group performance, and leader reputation. This project is a first attempt using the techniques of experimental economics to the study of leader transparency. We adapt an information-based, game-theory model of leadership to investigate one leader transparency. It will have interesting implications for the understanding of effective management practices, group alliances, and incentive conflicts in organizations.