The role of organizational transparency levels in schools on teachers' organizational citizenship behaviors

This study aims to examine the role of organizational transparency in schools on teachers' organizational citizenship behaviors. Designed within the correlational design, the study sample consisted of 351 teachers working in public primary, secondary, and high schools in Kütahya, Türkiye. Conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year, the research employed convenience sampling. Data were collected with the School Transparency Scale and the Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale, and analyzed using Independent Samples t-Test, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and Hierarchical Regression Analysis. Results indicated that teachers' perceptions of organizational transparency were generally high, while the accountability dimension was reported at a moderate level. Teachers' transparency perceptions were found to be significantly higher according to gender, school level, the number of teachers in the school, and the length of time teaching at the same school. However, no significant differences were observed with respect to years of professional experience and educational background. Teachers' organizational citizenship behaviors were also found to be generally high. The findings revealed significant differences in organizational citizenship behaviors based on years of professional experience, with gender and school level also showing significance, but only within the "conscientiousness" and "civic virtue" sub-dimensions, respectively. However, no significant differences were observed according to educational background, the number of teachers in the school, and the length of time teaching at the same school. A moderate, positive, and significant correlation emerged between organizational transparency and organizational citizenship behaviors. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that information flow and accountability dimensions significantly predicted teachers' organizational citizenship behaviors, whereas participation in decision-making dimension was not found to be a significant predictor. These results suggest that organizational transparency—particularly in information flow and accountability—may enhance teachers' voluntary contributions and support a more participatory and effective school climate. Accordingly, it is recommended that school administrators adopt regular information sharing and accountability practices as an institutional policy.