Chapter 8:
Ethical
Performanc
eHow do we know if we are
doing the right thing and
can we improve?
Topics to be discussed
The nature of
Technical Issues Conclusion
performance
1 2 3 4 5 6
Introduction/Background Philosophical Issues Implementation Issues
OBJECTIVES
1 2 3 4
Understand some of the Be able to illustrate how
Be able to analyze the
Philosophical, technical public sector
Understand the Concept of different dimensions of an
and implementation issues organizations have
Ethical Performance ethical performance
associated with ethical measured ethical
framework
performance performance
KEY TERMS
Ethical Framework
Part of the overall approach to governance issues
with an emphasis on prevention rather than cure
or punishment
Ethical Performance
How well individuals and organizations perform
an ethical point of view
Ethical Impact
The difference that ethical performance can make
to key stakeholders.
KEY POINTS IN THIS CHAPTER
Drivers of Performance improvement are many, complex,
1 interrelated and sometimes difficult to measure
Trends show a growth in performance, audit and inspection
2 regimes for public agencies and attempts to measure ethical
performance
Different stakeholders have different expectations of
3 performance and it is difficult to capture all of these
stakeholder interests in one performance regime
Ethical issues in public service organizations are a mixture
4 of individual motivations, organizational imperatives and
societal values.
Trends in ethical frameworks have moved from relying on
5 personal integrity to compliance systems of control
KEY POINTS IN THIS CHAPTER
We do not have enough research evidence to argue that
6 ethical leadership, a code of conduct, or training will have
the greatest impact, and we also do not know the impact of
external regulation and inspection
Ethical audit has to reflect both individual performance and
7 organizational setting should consist of a number of different
parts
“The drivers of performance improvement are many and
complex and it is not always clear what impacts individual
drivers, or the combination of different drivers, have on
performance outcomes.”
(Ashworth, Boyne and Entwistle, 2010)
Philosophical Issues
Technical Issues Technical Issues
Quick Background
TECHNICAL ISSUES
KEY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ((Noordegraaf and Abma 2003)
1. Which indicators are appropriate to measure ethical Performance
2. How the Performance indicator attribute responsibility to an individual, team or
the organization as a whole
3. How ethical performance is measured in terms of timeliness, validity, reliability,
relevance, specificity,
4. How the indicators reflect the stated values of the organization
TECHNICAL ISSUES
1. Which indicators are appropriate to measure
a. Process
b. Outcome
c. Individuals /organization
Dochy and his colleagues (1990a:71)
performance indicators are empirical data – quantitative and qualitative – which describe the functioning
of an institution, the way the institution pursues its goals. This implies that they are context- and time-
related.
2. How the Performance indicator attribute responsibility to an individual, team or the organization as a whole
The purposes to which performance indicators can be put are related, in part, to whether they are being applied at the program,
institution or system level (Doyle 1995; Jongbloed & Westerheijen 1994).
3. How ethical performance is measured in terms of timeliness, validity, reliability, relevance, specificity
five important aspects of Performance
1. TheyIndicators:
are expressed numerically;
2. They relate inputs to outputs
3. They are linked to the overall goals of the organisation
4. They allow users to determine how the performance of the individual or organisation under study has changed over time and/or
how it compares with the performance of other individuals or organisations;
5. They may be used as incentives to influence the activities in socially desired ways
Sizer, Spee and Bormans (1992:137) uses of performance indicators:
1. Monitoring and evaluation,
2. Dialogue and feedback
3. Rationalization
4. Resource allocation.
4. How the indicators reflect the stated values of the organization
Be clear and unambiguous, and readily understandable.
Be relevant; they must reveal something of interest.
– Satisfy validity; do the indicators measure what we want to measure?
– Be reliable, do they produce the same result when used by different people?
– Be acceptable politically; but at the same time recognize that there may be
certain classes of action that should not be compromised.
– Cannot be manipulated to serve vested interests or to distort results.
– Be reasonably cheap to collect.
Ethical Audit
What is Ethical Audit?
An ethical audit is an independent and objective examination of an
organization’s practices, to evaluate its compliance with ethical standard.
As Nutley (2000) argues, the faith placed in control by audit is associated
with a declining trust in traditional forms of professional self-regulation.
Nutley’s breakdown of the statement:
● "The faith placed in control by audit.
● "Is associated with a declining trust in traditional forms of professional
self-regulation".
As Nutley (2000) argues, the faith placed in control by audit is associated
with a declining trust in traditional forms of professional self-regulation.
The statement by Nutley raises several important questions:
● Are audits a more effective form of accountability than self-regulation?
● How can we ensure that audits are objective, transparent, and
effective?
● What is the appropriate balance between external control and
professional self-regulation?
“ The audit society is not simply a distrusting society; rather, it reflects a tendency
not to trust trust. This means a systemic tendency towards uncritical trust in the
efficacy of audit processes, a trust which results in the absence of evaluation of the
audit process itself. Power 1997:
Breakdown of Power’s statement
● The audit society is not simply a distrusting society
● Rather, it reflects a tendency not to trust trust
● A systemic tendency towards uncritical trust in the efficacy of audit
processes:
● This trust results in the absence of evaluation of the audit process itself
CONCLUSION
The above mentioned highlights the inherent challenges in measuring
public service performance, emphasizing the influence of external factors
beyond an organization's control and the inconsistent impact of internal
variables like leadership and innovation. The discussion on ethical
performance underscores the lack of conclusive evidence regarding the
effectiveness of ethical leadership, codes of conduct, or training. And the
concern for ethics arises from the perceived failure of traditional
accountability mechanisms, exemplified by corruption scandals, and a
global rise in fraud. The question is raised whether ethical audits are a
valid response to performance issues or merely another instance of
excessive measurement.
CONCLUSION
This suggests that while ethical audits might not entirely prevent
unethical behavior, they could be a worthwhile attempt to address the
serious failings in traditional accountability. Additionally, the proposed
ethical audit should encompass various aspects, including preventive
measures, organizational values, awareness training, personnel
practices, leadership, relationships, and public opinion, forming part of a
comprehensive ethical framework. Hence, organizations may find value in
adopting ethical audits within a broader context of ethical practices to
enhance accountability and mitigate the challenges associated with public
service performance measurement.
Thank you
