The promotion of ethical norms and values amongst Municipal Administrators IMASA Conference April 2006

1. The promotion of ethical norms and values amongst Municipal Administrators IMASA Conference � April 2006 Kris Dobie

2. Overview: What is a Profession? What are ethical norms and values? Promoting ethical norms and values in the profession Promoting ethical norms and values in municipalities

3. What is a Profession?

4. Defining Professions

5. What constitutes a Profession? Main features: Extensive theoretical training Provides a service to society Sustains socially and technologically complex modern societies Autonomy over decisions Has a monopoly over the provision of services Self-governed by a professional body

6. IMASA as a professional body Municipalities have a monopoly on the provision of services IMASA aims to: Promote municipal administration as a profession Improve the practice of municipal administration Share knowledge and skills Regulate the profession

7. What are ethical norms and values?

8. Definitions of ethics: Ethics

9. Values Values are an enduring belief that certain conduct or state of existence is preferable

10. Promoting ethical norms and values in the profession

11. Mechanisms Professional Code

12. Professional Codes Positive aspects of a code: Clarify the values of the profession

13. Professional Codes Positive aspects of a code: Clarify the values of the profession Provide a defense against relativism

14. Professional Codes Positive aspects of a code: Clarify the values of the profession Provide a defense against relativism Gives guidance on grey areas

15. Professional Codes Positive aspects of a code: Clarify the values of the profession Provide a defense against relativism Gives guidance on grey areas Indicates that ethics is taken seriously

16. Professional Codes Positive aspects of a code: Clarify the values of the profession Provide a defense against relativism Gives guidance on grey areas Indicates that ethics is taken seriously Appeal to codes in interpersonal situations and from abuse by more senior people �The code does not allow that�

17. Professional Codes Codes that must be adhered to: IMASA professional code Code of Conduct for Municipal Staff (Municipal Systems Act, Schedule 2)

18. Values of the Codes MSA code values Stewardship Impartiality Transparency Accountability Commitment Respect Confidentiality

19. Enforcing the code ICMA model Fair confidential process based on presumption of innocence Member supported: source of complaints Peer review process with rules Censures and public comment when needed

20. Promoting ethical norms and values in municipalities

21. Reasons for unethical decisions Autocratic leadership Unethical leadership Groupthink �Political� environment Rotten apples Rotten Barrels Unethical organisational culture

22. Leadership commitment Leadership approaches: Immoral Amoral Moral

23. Institutionalising ethics� �Organisational culture is determined more by practices than by principles.� Martha Perego

24. Institutionalising ethics� Use the codes Ethics helpline Communication Induction & Training Put ethics on the agenda Recruitment and selection Performance Management Disciplinary procedures Monitoring and evaluation Rossouw & Van Vuuren

25. Moral agency MacIntyre � What is necessary to see myself as a moral agent? I must see myself as a rational moral person both within and outside of my specific job role I must be able to have confidence in my moral judgements I need a forum for moral discussion!!! I must be held accountable in terms of my work role as well as the human virtues.

26. Role of Municipal Administrators� Fulfil an ethics role Acquire and display ethical competence Live the values Set the climate � mutual respect Mentor newcomers Talk about ethics Put it on the agenda Show ethical leadership Rossouw & Van Vuuren

28. Athenian Oath I will not disgrace the sacred arms, nor will I desert my comrade in arms wherever I may be stationed. And I will fight in defence of the sacred and the secular, and I will hand on my fatherland not less, but greater and better, as far as is in my own power and together with all my comrades. And I will pay thoughtful heed to whoever may be in authority over me, and to the established laws and to whatever laws may be established in the future. And if anyone overthrows them, I will not permit it as far as is in my own power and together with all my comrades, and I will honour our ancestral traditions as sacred.