DCA-Transparency: Validation and Extension of a German Scale

Hossiep C R, Märtins J, Schewe G

Abstract
Even though there is strong theoretical support that transparency in organizations leads to trust between employees and managers as well as increasing job satisfaction (e. g.,Albu & Flyverbom, 2019;Giri & Kumar, 2010), such research lacks consistent empirical evidence. This inconsistency might be explained by the use of specific nongeneralizable scales (Schnackenberg & Tomlinson, 2016). Therefore,Schnackenberg et al. (2020)developed a multidimensional transparency scale consisting of three dimensions: disclosure, clarity, and accuracy (so-called DCA-transparency). This paper validates a German version of the scale as well as conceptually and empirically extends its utility by adding the two dimensions of timeliness and relevance. We conducted three quantitative studies to examine the factorial structure (N=325), content validity (N1=133, N2=120), and usefulness (N=376, with a representative longitudinal sample). The results support the accuracy and utility of the extended German DCA scale in organizational settings and its multidimensionality.