Unlocking organizational transparency: building trust and fostering citizenship behaviors

Purpose This study examines how organizational transparency influences interpersonal trust, affective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behaviors toward individuals (OCBI) in the tourism sector. It proposes an integrated model to understand how transparent practices foster trust among employees and promote voluntary prosocial behaviors. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative cross-sectional design was used. Data were collected from 249 employees across 50 tourism companies in Spain through surveys. Relationships were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with EQS 6.4 software. Findings The results indicate that organizational transparency positively influences interpersonal trust and organizational commitment. Affective commitment partially mediates the relationship between transparency and trust, while interpersonal trust promotes OCBI. This suggests that transparency builds trust and emotional attachment, encouraging collaborative and discretionary helping behaviors among employees. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by proposing a comprehensive causal model linking transparency, affective commitment, interpersonal trust, and OCBI– constructs often studied separately. It highlights the role of peer-based trust, expanding beyond vertical or institutional trust perspectives. The results offer practical insights for HR and leadership strategies aiming to build trust and cooperation without relying on formal incentives.