Organizational barriers to transparency: a typology and analysis of organizational behaviour tending to prevent or restrict access to information

Transparency in the activities of government and public service agencies has become a democratic sine qua non, legislated by access to information laws in many countries. While these laws have increased the amount of information available to the public, it is evident that numerous public organizations still try to conceal information, although no public or private interest of any importance justifies such behaviour. This article will develop a typology of these forms of behaviour which will allow for a better understanding of the origins of such dynamics and pave the way for a better evaluation of the point of equilibrium between administrative privilege and transparency.