Title: The influence of ethical culture on corruption: the public sector's perspective

Authors: Afzal Izzaz Zahari; Jamaliah Said; Roshayani Arshad

Addresses: Accounting Research Institute, University Technology MARA, 40450, Shah Alam, Malaysia ' Accounting Research Institute, University Technology MARA, 40450, Shah Alam, Malaysia ' Accounting Research Institute, University Technology MARA, 40450, Shah Alam, Malaysia

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between ethical culture and corruption based on the perspective of public sector employees. The paper investigates the impact of ethical culture on corruption in a public sector environment. The study is based on a questionnaire survey on existing public sector employees. The questionnaire contains questions on ethical climate and perceived acts of corruption. The data on corruption is based on the perceptions of government employees related to the acts of fraud and bribery in the organisation. The data has been collected through an online questionnaire that has been distributed among government agencies. A total sample of 251 government employees had submitted their feedback. The findings indicate the parts of ethical culture, namely supportability and sanctionability are influential towards controlling corruption in an organisation. The study provides further explanation on the impact of ethical culture by explaining why people in an organisation still engage in corruption. The understanding of human organisational behaviour provides different methods of assessment of which improvements can be made to reduce corruption.

Keywords: corruption; ethical culture; public sector.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPSPM.2022.126231

International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management, 2022 Vol.10 No.2/3, pp.236 - 257

Received: 04 May 2019
Accepted: 16 Jan 2020
Published online: 18 Oct 2022 *

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