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Chapter II

Theoretical Background

Review of Related Literature

CODE OF CONDUCT IMPACT TO THE EMPLOYEES BEHAVIOR

Many people believe that ethics is a legal requirement to establish the absolute value of
relationship in the organization. But legality bear no absolute relationship to ethics at all. Ethics
is not something fixed by law. It is always relative. It is established by individual judgments of
the societys norm of conduct. Moreover, ethics, like morality, cannot be legislated. Its concern is
with principle. Conduct is both individual and group responsibilities.

As noted by Koontz and ODonnell:

Another phenomenon that has some potential in the area of furthering ethical practices is
the rather widespread tendency of professional people, and even politicians to adopt or to
consider the adoption of codes of conduct. Examples abound in the codes adhered to by the
medical,
legal, and accounting professions usually developed by trade associations, and in various
proposals for codes to govern the conduct of professors, politicians, and legislators.

Ethics is difficult to practice since many people are highly flexible in their interpretation
of it. Ethics is a complex concept. Moreover, meeting the challenges of diversified society
requires the exercise of flexibility and willingness to adapt to shifting conditions. As such,
individuals should be responsible for their actions.

Nevertheless, a code of conduct should be laid down coming from the traditions and
culture of the people.
An individual should, therefore, approach his environment from several directions
simultaneously to receive the full impact of its significance to him and his organization.
According to Shirley Terreberry:

Any change in the kind or quality of output is largely externally induced. As Reitz
observes:

Behavior is a function of both the individual who is behaving and the environment in
which he or she is behaving.

Thus, his interaction with his environment may either be in harmony or contradictory to
that of others. Current realities may force him to make some changes in his plans which he is not
apt to anticipate. As such, he makes some slight alternatives in his social pattern. He takes time,
however, to adapt himself to his new environment and to ingratiate himself with a new group to
which he has been attracted. In doing so, he protects his self-interest, but he is very careful not to
do so in ways which might offend others. Hence, the efforts of individuals on their own behalf
are the determining factors in such situation.

Nevertheless, a change of scenery will do much to help revitalize the individuals


outlook. He gets out and gets around to other places to know what others are doing. He might
change for the better, not necessarily to control his environment, but to adapt to it temporarily.
According to Huse and Bowditch:

All of the factors external to an organization constitute to its environment. Thus, not only
people and terrain, but also such abstract concepts a peoples feelings about what is going on
are part of the environment. Environment is a broad, inclusive term.

In view hereof, people hold different values and may look at their environment
differently with each other. Indeed, they do differ in a general way.

An individual may have the ability to see merit in changing conditions which may
confuse others. However, he may approach his environment from several directions for
maximum impact of its significance to him and the organization.
Mental processes and consciousness, defined as the internal subjective experiences we
infer from behavior (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs and feelings (Myers,
2000, p.4) are not considered behavior (Wade and Travis, 2000). Rather, as will be shown
shortly, mental processes and behavior influence each other.

By comparison, behavior is simply anything a person does. Behavior means overt actions
or activities of persons that are observable and measurable directly (Myers, 2000).

Promoting Productivity. Many business researches and studies are dedicated to promote
the area of productivity of their employees. In order to gain market advantage, organizations are
attracting and retaining potential employees who can deliver the desirable performance.
Organizations expect employees to behave in a manner consistent with the organizations vision,
mission, goals and objectives. By setting standards for organizational conduct, organizational
executives set expected behavior. An employee showing a positive attitude towards maintaining
the set standards of the organization is likely to create an environment conducive for customers,
suppliers, partners and stakeholders.

Development. High moral values can be developed in individuals through positive


values, instilled by family and other socialization agents such as school, mosque and others,
which would reflect in manner and conduct. By stressing upon positive attributes in work ethics,
it is possible to train workers on how to avoid indecent acts when performing their duties. (Al-
Ghazali, 1997).

Employee Ethics. Ethical behavior among workers in an organization ensures that


employees complete work with honesty and integrity. Ethical employees meet standards for
quality in their work, which can enhance the companys reputation for quality products and
service. A lack of ethics has a negative effect on employee performance. In some cases,
employees are so concerned with getting ahead and making money that they ignore procedures
and protocol. Additionally, employees who feel acting ethically and following the rules will not
get them ahead in the business sometimes feel a lack of motivation, which often leads to a
decrease in performance.

Ethical conduct on the part of all employees also helps maintain quality and productivity.
When employees follow ethical standards, they do not cut corners or short-change the company
or its customers. Ethical conduct boosts morale and promotes teamwork. When employees can
trust one another and management, they can work together more harmoniously and effectively.

Ethical Codes by Management. Ethical codes are often adopted by management , not to
promote a particular moral theory , but rather because they are seen as pragmatic necessities for
running an organization in a complex society , in which moral concepts play an important role .
Even though ethical choices may not be easy , employers expect people to bring their
consciences to work with them . In return, employees expect that the Organization they work for
is ethical , honest and responsible . A person with integrity makes ethical choices based on moral
values and principles, knowing very well that mistakes are bound to happen . But learning from
the mistakes is what helps people to be conscious of the ethical choices they make . They
become alert to the ethical demands of the Organization and contribute wholeheartedly . As
Robert Noyce says , If ethics are poor at the top , that behavior is copied down through the
Organization. So the employer has to ensure that the ethical codes of conduct are consistently
followed throughout the Organization , from the top to the shop floor level of hierarchy .

How Employees are affected by Leaders Ethics. Talented leaders are the backbone of
an organization. They develop strategic initiatives to grow and preserve the business. Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in his keynote address at SNEF 30th Anniversary CEO and
Employers Summit in July 2010, highlighted that a huge part of the responsibility for improving
productivity falls on employers and business leaders. He emphasized that leadership is critical
in upgrading productivity for businesses. Leadership is defined as the process of social
influence in which one person could enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of
a common goal, it involves using ones role and ability to influence others in some way, which
delivers business results and contributes to the organisations overall success.
The ethics that leaders in an organization use to manage employees may have an effect on
the morale and loyalty of workers. The code of ethics leaders use determines discipline
procedures and the acceptable behavior for all workers in an organization. When leaders have
high ethical standards, it encourages workers in the organization to meet that same level. Leaders
and employees adhering to a code of ethics create an ethical organizational culture. The leaders
may create an ethical culture by exhibiting the type of behavior they'd like to see in employees.
Inter-relatedness of Ethics and Productivity. In one of the speeches of the late
President Manuel L. Quezon, he implored, and I quote:

Show me a people composed of vigorous, sturdy individuals, of men and women healthy
in mind and body,- courteous, brave, industrious, self-reliant, purposeful in thought as well as in
action; imbued with sound patriotism and a profound sense of righteousness, with high social
ideals and strong moral fiber, and I will show you a great nation that will not be submerged.

This has left an indelible impression in mind that a nation is built on the character of its
people and its institutions. It is rooted in all domains of governance. Verily, the success or failure
of a nation greatly depends on the strength of the nations moral fiber. Relating this to the
nations goal, ethics, therefore, has a positive role in stimulating productivity.

In an environment where cutthroat competition is the norm and where primordial


concerns are profits and survival, some may be misled into believing that ethics and productivity
are irreconcilable propositions. The government in such cases usually wields its power of
intervention by issuing and implementing laws that set the standards of conduct. For example,
we have the Consumer Act which prescribes and prohibits specific acts of businesses; the
Intellectual Property Law which punishes unfair competition and infringement of rights; and the
Corporation Code which specifies what corporations ought to do and ought not to do. Clearly,
what our laws prohibit are not only illegal but also unethical.

However, today we are seeing the rise of a school of thought called ethical management,
the underlying premise of which is that companies do not have to cheat or circumvent laws in
order to win. Social responsibilities are becoming as much a part of corporate vision as the
business imperatives. Industry sectors and associations are crafting their own codes of conduct
and self-regulating or self policing mechanisms.

The study of Built to Last has confirmed that those that outperform their industries
share and exhibit a common set of traits and behaviors. The same study shows that these
successful companies are the ones that exhibit ethically correct and socially responsible practices
and norms. All these underscore an empirical fact that business does not only mean profits. Now,
business ethics means the attainment of a higher goal, that is; a sense of corporate responsibility
towards fulfilling the task of nation building.
Meanwhile, there is an unkind perception that ethics is not attainable or is an impossible
ideal in the public sector. The irony, of course, is that this is the domain where ethics should be
strongest.

In 1989, Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public
Officials and Employees was enacted because of the perceived loose sense of ethics in
government.

Essentially, the Code spelled out in fine detail the dos and donts for government officials
and employees in and out of the workplace. The eight norms of conduct as enumerated in the
Code are broad and encompass not only the aspect of employment but also the personal lives of
public officials and employees. These standards are , Commitment to public interest,
Professionalism, Justness and sincerity, Political neutrality, Responsiveness to the public,
Nationalism and patriotism, Commitment to democracy, and Simple living.

Civil society organizations trade unions; non-governmental organizations; gender,


language, cultural and religious groups; charities; business associations; social and sports clubs;
cooperatives and community development organizations; environmental groups; professional
associations; academy and policy institutions; and media outlets are powerful groups that
influence public policies and channel peoples participation in economic and social activities.

Fundamentally, civil society organizations are considered development agents. For these
organizations, productivity means being able to pursue their roles to the fullest. That is why, civil
society organizations must also adhere to values and principles that reflect societal norms in
order for them to faithfully carry out their advocacies.

Consider a political party that constantly fails to ensure transparent and fair ways to reach
consensus, and what do you have a volatile organization that can hardly push for reforms.
Consider also a public sector union that fails to ensure cohesion among its members, and what do
you have an insecure organization that can hardly make its fiscalizing presence felt in its
agency.

Studies have proved that, there is a direct correlation between ethical conduct and job
satisfaction. A happy employee turns out to be a productive employee in an ethical environment.
It is one of the greatest motivating factors and induces a strong sense of belonging and loyalty.
Hence high ethical standards are an asset, and unethical conduct, a liability.

Clearly, we cannot just isolate productivity from ethics. To a large extent, the former is a
function of the latter.

THE EFFECT OF PENALTIES AND REWARDS TOWARDS EMPLOYEES

The administrative implementation of the code and sanction against code


violations infractions up the management chain, including what action to take if the next level up
fails to take action. In larger organizations an office or function may be expressly charged with
handling code violations. Sanctions will be spelled out and their administration defined,
including a transparent process for establishing facts, the issuance of warnings, requirements for
counseling or reeducation, consequences of repeat offenses, on up to discharge or even, if
appropriate, litigation.

For obvious reasons, a code of ethics without sanctions and a rational process for
its implementation will be viewed by employees as merely a gesture without "teeth." Conversely,
the government directors must be alert to the fact that ethical violations are not necessarily
be legal infringements; therefore sanctions such as firing an employee may be problematical
unless the business has an "employment at will" hiring and firing policy and its exercise is
backed by state and federal law under the circumstances.

Membership in the organization commits members to adhere to the code of ethics.


Members are advised of this obligation upon joining the association and that violations of the
code may lead to the imposition of sanctions, including termination of membership. Members
subject to the code of ethics may be reviewed under these ethical standards only if the activity is
part of or affects their work-related functions. Personal activities having no connection to or
effect on employees' performance of their professional roles are usually not subject to the code of
ethics.
Actions of members governed by the ethics code will be judged in light of the
professional judgment of others engaged in similar activities in similar circumstances, given the
knowledge the member had or should have had at the time. An ethics code applies to
professional activities across a variety of contexts, such as in person, postal, telephone, internet,
and other electronic transmissions. Membership in the association governed by the ethics code
commits members to comply with the standards of the ethics code and to the rules and
procedures used to enforce them. Lack of awareness or misunderstanding of an ethical standard
is not itself a defense to a charge of unethical conduct. The procedures for filing, investigating,
and resolving complaints of unethical conduct are governed by rules of the committee or entity
responsible for enforcing the code, which may impose sanctions on its members for violations,
including termination of membership, conviction of a crime, expulsion or suspension from an
affiliated state association, or suspension or loss of licensure, and may notify other bodies and
individuals of its actions.

Incorporating Ethical Behavior into Performance and Rewards. Ethical behavior is


really driven by how it is encouraged and rewarded (Mitchell, 2005). If an organizations are
serious about ethics, they must have the elements of an ethics infrastructure and a real
commitment from the leadership on the subject of ethics. But they also need to define ethical
behavior in the corporate context and develop a strategy to reward the desired behavior.

People can be held accountable for their achievements as well as their behaviors, and
success in both areas can be rewarded (Nelson, 2005). Importantly, there also must be
consequences for failure to act ethically, just as there are, or should be, consequences for failure
to achieve results. But, for the sake of argument, assume that employees have the corporate
policy committed to memory they do know the rules. Employees still need to understand what
ethical behavior looks like. They need clear descriptions of ethical behaviors in the context of
their industry, their organization and their job. And they need to see their managers modeling this
behavior.

Building ethical standards into an incentive program isnt the only way to link ethical
behavior and rewards. Here are other ways organization can forge the link: Incorporate both what
and how into performance expectations. Another way to reward ethical behavior is the Republic
Act No. 6713 an act establishing a code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and
employees, to uphold the time - honored principle of public office being a public trust, granting
incentives and rewards for exemplary service, enumerating prohibited acts and transactions and
providing penalties for violations thereof and for other purposes. Results are the what. Ethics and
other values, such as teamwork and open communication, are the how. Make achievement of
results and demonstration of values equal considerations in determining the size of merit salary
increases.

Public expectations. The duties expected of a profession are the maintenance of: (1)
Competence in the field of expertise; (2) Objectivity in the offering of service; (3) Integrity in
client dealings; (4) Confidentiality with regard to client matters; (5) Discipline over members
who do not discharge these duties according to the standards expected. These duties are vital to
the quality of service provided, a condition made more significant because of the fiduciary
relationship a professional has with his or her clients. A fiduciary relationship exist when service
provided is extremely important to the client, and where there is a significant difference in the
level of expertise between the professional and the client such that the client has no trust or rely
upon the judgment and expertise of the professional. The maintenance of the trust inherent in the
fiduciary relationship is fundamental to the role of a professional, so fundamental that
professionals have traditionally been expected to make personal sacrifices if the welfare of their
client or the public is at stake (Brooks, 2015).

Building Trust in Government by Improving Governance. Corruption and abuse of


power represent a betrayal of the public trust. That breach of faith cannot be repaired with mere
technical institutional fixes to make government more efficient and accessible. Such reforms are
necessary and promising, but if political systems (and civil society reformers, and international
donors) are really going to build trust in government, something more fundamental is needed.
Where the first purpose of government is to generate private goods for its office-holders rather
than public goods for its citizens, no reform will build trust unless this logic of governance is
changed.

The more that government transactions and operations are transparent and visible, open to
scrutiny, the more feasible it is to expose, deter, and contain corruption. For this reason, citizens
must have the legal right to request and receive information on all functions and decisions of
government that are not a matter of national security or that do not infringe on individual rights
of privacy. In the fight against corruption, the public availability of information on government
finance, procurement, and contracting is particularly important. Ideally, such information should
be posted on the Internet. In particular, all government procurement above a certain (modest)
level should be done through competitive bidding that is advertised on government websites.

Citizens must also have the freedom to monitor and criticize what government does, and to
voice concerns. In an era of rising public expectations of government, this political and civil
freedom to speak, assemble, protest, and be heard. Ultimately, it also means democracythe
right of citizens to choose their government leaders and if they wish, to replace them, in regular
free, fair, and competitive elections. Fair and open political competition represents an important
instrument for checking and correcting corruption and the abuse of power. If citizens cannot
replace leaders in whom they have broadly lost faith, then no other institutional fix for waning
public trust in government may be meaningful ( Larry Diamond).

Issue of the continuing decline of trust in government and the imperatives for reform.
The decline on trust in government has been brought about by many factors including the
inefficient and ineffective delivery of services, waste of public resources, graft and corruption,
lack of integrity in government, poor leadership, excessive red tape, ineffective reorganization
and structural changes, too much centralization, among other things. In summary, unresponsive
governance has been responsible for the continuing decline of trust in government. It introduces
a framework of areas of reform imperatives with the general objective of restoring trust in
government. These areas include the following: (1) reforms in institutions and structures,
including reforms in organizations, processes and procedures; (2) reforms in mindsets,paradigms
and behavior; (3) reforms in leadership at various levels; and (4) reforms among citizens, i.e.,
citizen engagement and/or citizen participation. We begin by reviewing various examples in the
Philippines including continuing efforts to address graft and corruption, red tape, and
inefficiencies in the governments politico-administrative environment.

10 right things to expect from government offices. Passed in 2007, the Anti Red Tape Act
aims to address problems relating long lines, bureaucratic red tape, and impolite employees in
government offices and improve efficiency in the delivery of government services. The law
includes provisions that require government offices to publish a copy of the citizens charter,
issue an official receipt in every transaction, and continue front line operations during lunch
time. The top 10 things to expect from government offices are: (1) simple transactions should not
last more than 5 working days; (2) Observance of the no-noon break policy; (3) Courteous front-
liner; (4) No-fixers; (5) An official receipt for every transaction; (6) Observance of office hours;
(7) Posting of the service standard fro government agencies on citizens charter;(8) No extra fees;
(9) Special lane for senior citizens, pregnant women and PWDs; (10) No additional
requirements.

Anti-Red Tape. Republic Act No. 9485, or the Anti-Red Tape Act, was enacted to improve
efficiency in the delivery of government service to the public by reducing bureaucratic red tape
and preventing graft and corruption. Thus, the policy of the Anti-Red Tape Act is to promote
integrity, accountability, proper management of public affairs and public property as well as to
establish effective practices aimed at the prevention of graft and corruption in the government.
The law aims to promote transparency in each agency with regard to the manner of transacting
with the public, which shall encompass a program for the adoption of simplified procedures that
will reduce red tape and expedite transactions in the government.

A Likert item is simply a statement that the respondent is asked to evaluate by giving it a
quantitative value on any kind of subjective or objective dimension, with level of
agreement/disagreement being the dimension most commonly used.

The scale is named after its inventor, psychologist Rensis Likert.[2] Likert distinguished
between a scale proper, which emerges from collective responses to a set of items (usually
eight or more), and the format in which responses are scored along a range. Technically
speaking, a Likert scale refers only to the latter. The difference between these two concepts
has to do with the distinction Likert made between the underlying phenomenon being
investigated and the means of capturing variation that points to the underlying
phenomenon.[3]

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