
New Paper: Ethics and integrity in the politics of developmental leadership
It is often argued (by the World Bank and other development organizations) that integrity and ethical leadership are critical components of good governance. But what is ‘ethical leadership’? What is ‘developmental integrity’? How is it achieved? And what are the conditions for sustaining it?
This new study by Eduard Grebe and Minka Woermann develops a conceptual framework for thinking about integrity and leadership in developmental contexts, not only in terms of individual behaviour, but also in terms of institutions. The core argument is that integrity and ethical leadership for development is not simply a matter of defining and enforcing codes of conduct (or of combating corruption). Instead, developmental integrity is the outcome of the interaction between (1) individual integrity (i.e. the moral choices of individuals); (2) institutions of integrity (the moral ‘codes’ and norms of behaviour, including legal rules); and (3) the integrity of institutions (institutions that are coherent, perceived as legitimate and that effectively promote development). The paper is intended to help policy-makers think clearly about ethics and integrity in relation to developmental issues.
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