In transparency systems, those chains of action and response have two
primary actors: those who potentially use new information produced by
transparency policies to improve their choices; and those who are compelled by
public policies to provide that information and whose behavior policy makers
hope to change. These information users and disclosers are typically connected
in a general action cycle that has six main parts:
(1) A transparency system (2) compels corporations, government agencies, or
other organizations to provide information about their practices or products to
the public at large. (3) If this information is useful to some consumers,
investors, employees, community residents, or other individuals or groups they
may incorporate it into their ordinary decision-making processes (4) in ways
that alter their actions. The original disclosers of information, in turn, may
recognize (5) in the changed choices of information users opportunities to
advance their interests (6) to which they may respond.