Robert Noyce had rightly said that “If ethics are poor at the top, that behavior is copied down through the organization”. A manager should treat his employees, customers, shareholders, government, media and society in an honest and fair way by knowing the difference between right or wrong and choosing what is right, this is the foundation of ethical decision making. It is the attitude to life and the value system one has to cherish and live with. Values are universal in character. It is the application of values that has been undergoing change.
Good governance as expressed through factors like reliability, predictability and accountability is increasingly seen as a key factor in ensuring national prosperity. It has to be built on the quality of organizations so that development is based on this rather than simply relying only on political will of a strong leader and state power which may not be sustainable over the longer term. Good government depends on an ability to exercise power and to make right decisions over time, across a spectrum of economic, social, environmental and other areas.
Governance is the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels. Without good governance, no amount of developmental schemes can bring in improvements in the quality of life of the citizens. Good governance is the most effective way to ensure that public funds are actually and effectively used for the purpose they are sanctioned, and that Government’s welfare measures actually reach the intended beneficiaries without any leakage or the least possible pilferage on the way. Strengthening governance therefore is vital and over the recent past, several initiatives have been undertaken to improve the quality of governance.
Transparency is an important aspect of good governance, and transparent decision making is critical for making sound decisions and investments. Corruption has become such an integral part of our day today life that it has become very difficult to eradicate it. Today, we wish to have more luxuries and more comfort even at the cost of our integrity and moral values. We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. Good governance cannot function unless and until the government itself is firmly committed to the task of the weeding out dishonest and corrupt officials, irrespective of rank and status.
Integrity plays an important role in any organization. Without dedicated and honest employees, an organization cannot improve upon its performance and achieve all round growth. We should do our best with full devotion, honesty and integrity. Time has come to improve our system, make transparent policies for good governance in public administration and sincerely and effectively implement them.
Vinod Chandrashekar Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
