Assessment of Public Admistration Integrity Level: Between Morality and the Law

Abstract

In recent years, the academic and research institutions, international organizations (among which the International Monetary Fund, World Bank) have an increased interest for estimating the integrity, public administration reform and to gauge the impact of this reform on the level of economic development. From a marginal part in international aid programs, the integrity has grown to occupy a privileged position in most development programs. Currently, it is considered a key factor in good governance of a country with vast implications and whose development must be prevented. The large number of managerial incidents led to a growing interest in ethical programs within organizations. "Respect" and "integrity" are two alternative management strategies that are formulated in order to avoid moral deviations from organizations. Compliance and integrity differ regarding how the moral behavior of members of an organization can and should be achieved. The strategy focuses on explaining under a set of rules. The main objective of this paper is to analyze how the integrity within public organizations became an organizational value and not only a legal value.