Ethics and Integrity in Service-A Presentation made to the Abia State Executive Council at a Leadership Programme under the auspices of Alpha Institute for Research in Science, Economics and Development.
Ethics and Integrity in Service-A Presentation made to the Abia State Executive Council at a Leadership Programme under the auspices of Alpha Institute for Research in Science, Economics and Development. Other Speakers at the Programme were: Prof. Anya O. Anya, Richard Dowden, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Dr Lucy Newman, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Dr Ike Anya.
Participants at the Programme included Prof. Mkpa A. Mkpa (SSG), Mazi Donatus Okorie (Chief of Staff), The Head of Service and all the Honourable Commissioners of the 23 Ministries.
Similaire à Ethics and Integrity in Service-A Presentation made to the Abia State Executive Council at a Leadership Programme under the auspices of Alpha Institute for Research in Science, Economics and Development.
Similaire à Ethics and Integrity in Service-A Presentation made to the Abia State Executive Council at a Leadership Programme under the auspices of Alpha Institute for Research in Science, Economics and Development. (20)
Ethics and Integrity in Service-A Presentation made to the Abia State Executive Council at a Leadership Programme under the auspices of Alpha Institute for Research in Science, Economics and Development.
2. Abia State…. Ọhā Chukwu!
“Abians”:
entrepreneurial,
known and
reputed to be
industrious,
highly market
oriented, very
hospitable and
accommodating.
Remi ADESEUN
3. Abia in the context of Nigeria
Population ca.
2.8mio
Created 1991
From the Provinces
of:
Aba
Bende
Isikwuato
Afikpo
South-East
Remi ADESEUN
Niger-Delta!
4. Nigeria
Quick Facts (from
2000-2011) :
5 Fold Increase in
GDP (From
$46bio-$247)
30% Growth in
Population (From
120-160 mio)
Per Capita Growth
from $390-$1500
Remi ADESEUN
5. Nigeria
Infrastructure
Deficit
Energy Inadequacy
Fragile Security
Falling Education
Failing Health
Poor Human
Development
Index
Remi ADESEUN
6. Nigeria
NOT DOING
BADLY….FOR
THEMSELVES!
Nigerian politicians
are the highest paid
in the world (Richard
Dowden)
Costliest Laws
Honorable?
Distinguished?
Excellency?
Different Rules of
Engagement
Remi ADESEUN DISCONNECTED!
9. Failed states list 2011
1. Somalia (0)
2. Chad (0)
3. Sudan (0)
4. Democratic Republic of the Congo (+1)
5. Haiti (+6)
6. Zimbabwe (-2)
7. Afghanistan (-1)
8. Central African Republic (0)
9. Iraq (-2)
10. Cote d'Ivoire (+2)
11. Guinea (-2)
12. Pakistan (-2)
13. Yemen (+2)
14.
15.
Nigeria
Niger (+5)
(0)
16. Kenya (-3)
17. Burundi (+6)
18. Guinea-Bissau (+4)
19. Myanmar (-2)
20. Ethiopia (-3)
10. Indicators of state vulnerability
Social indicators Political indicators
Demographic pressures Criminalization and/or
Massive movement of delegitimisation of the
refugees and internally state
displaced peoples Progressive deterioration of
Legacy of vengeance- public services
seeking group grievance Widespread violation of
Chronic and sustained human rights
human flight Security apparatus as
„state within a state‟
Economic Indicators
Rise of factionalised elites
Uneven economic
development along group Intervention of other states
lines or external factors
Sharp and/or severe
economic decline
Remi ADESEUN
11. Ethics & Integrity in Nigeria….A Call to Action
To Paraphrase Emeritus Prof.
O.O.Akinkugbe:
“The topic we engage today reflects the
cumulus in our present sky:values upturned,
integrity short-changed, discipline outraged
and merit marginalised. A dawn is upon us
and each „Abian‟ (Nigerian) must make
some contribution to the total national
effort”.
Of Monks & Monkeys-The Wages of Integrity in Nigeria‟s Polity.
1999. Government College Ibadan 70th Anniversary Lecture
12. Ethics & Integrity in Nigeria….A Call to Action (2)
It seems according to President Olusegun Obasanjo that
“What matters to most Nigerians is the 6 P‟s which are
pursued at all cost:
Position
Power
Possession
Plaudit
Popularity
Pleasure
Nothing else matters. With the 6 P‟s he can buy anything
and buy himself into anything. Honesty is disregarded,
indolence is extolled, probity is derided, waste and
ostentation are paraded”
13. The Importance of Ethics &
Integrity in the Nigerian Context
“National Ethics” is item 23 in
Chapter II of the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
Code of Conduct is item 209 under
section C Part “ (State Executive)
..states inter alia: “A Person in the
Public Service of a State shall observe
and conform to the “Code of Conduct”
14. Ethics & Integrity….Many Questions
What is “Ethics”? “Integrity”?
How does Ethics contrast with Law?
Why the Focus on Ethics & Integrity?
What is the nexus between Ethics,
Integrity, Leadership & Good
Governance?
What is the goal of Good Governance?
19. What does ETHICS mean to you?
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle
20. What does ETHICS mean to you?
“Ethics has to do with what my
Feelings tell me is right or wrong”
“Ethics has to do with my Religious
beliefs”
“Ethics is doing what the Law
requires”
“Ethics is the standard of behaviour
Society accepts”
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle
21. What is ETHICS?
Ethics refers to:
well founded standards of right and
wrong that prescribe what humans
ought to do, usually in terms of
rights, obligations, benefits to
society, fairness, or specific virtues.
the study and development of one's
ethical standards.
22. How does Ethics contrast with the Law?
Ethics Ethics is the study of Law
right or wrong
Is the collection of
conduct in situations
rules of conduct
where there is a
imposed by an
choice of behavior
authority
involving human
values
23. Relationship between Ethics and the Law
• With ethics, human values are the primary binding social mediator
• With law, rules of conduct are the primary binding social mediator
Purpose
• Societies, communities and people
Target
• People to live well together
Goal
• Ethics governs society‟s moral standards, a realm that the law can‟t always reach
• The law imposes a specific conduct on society, a realm that ethics can‟t always
Need reach
24. Need for ETHICS in Service
Ethics, Integrity & Good Governance
are core principles for public service
Public/Civil Servants make and implement decisions directly
affecting the citizens
They conceive policies, conduct negotiations, determine the use of
resources, and have access to sensitive information
The Citizens are thus entitled to expect ethical behaviour and
integrity from them
The reputation and performance of the Government & its
institutions depend on these qualities (and in functional systems,
so also should the political fate of public office holders)
Hence the need for formal rules and codified principles that
guarantee the impartiality, discretion and integrity of all those who
hold public office.
26. Integrity in Relation to Value Systems & Ethics
What is Integrity?
A concept of consistency of actions, values,
methods, measures, principles, expectations, and
outcomes.
A value system may evolve over time while
retaining integrity provided those who espouse the
values account for and resolve inconsistencies.
A Person can be described as having ethical
integrity to the extent that everything that person
does or believes (actions, methods, measures &
principles) all derive from a single core group of
values.
27. Integrity in Modern Ethics
3 key requirements:
Discerning what is right and what is wrong
Acting on what you have discerned, even at
personal cost
Saying openly that you are acting on well
founded standards of what is right and what is
wrong
Benefits:
Leads to increased performance for individuals,
groups, organisations and societies.
Results in improved quality of life and value-
creation for all
28. What is an Ethical Culture?
An ethical culture is an intangible
structure of organizing and
characterizing a group of people to
constitute a framework influencing
the behavior of each individual in
the group
29. How to Evaluate an Ethical
Culture
Collect feedback from:
Front-line employees
Established confidential or anonymous reporting
mechanisms
Human Resources Department
Evaluate whether:
Ethical values are properly interpreted, clear and
working as desired
A swift and consistent way to deal with ethical
concerns exists
Ethical values provide a sense of trust and confidence
in the public
Ethical values are enforceable and revisable, or not
30. Remi ADESEUN
How to Evaluate an
Ethical Culture
• Benchmark with data you
collect from peer
institutions
• Perform ethics audits
31. Influences of Ethical Behavior
Personal values
Credible enforcement of ethics violations
Attitude and behavior of supervisors
Attitude and behavior of senior
managers
Friends and co-workers
Internal drive to succeed
Ethics related legislation
External Incentives e.g. Mo Ibrahim Award
32. Pressures that Compromise
Following boss‟s directive
Meeting aggressive financial
objectives
Helping the organization survive
Meeting scheduled pressures
Wanting to be a team player
Saving jobs
33. Pressures continued
Advancing boss‟s career interest
Rationalizing that others do it
Feeling peer pressure
Resisting competitive threats
Advancing own career interests
34. Why Ethical Lapses Occur
The “Bad Apple”
Corrupt Individual; Eliminate
The “Bad Barrel”
Organisational/Societal Culture; Overhaul, Commit to
adequate personal integrity
Competitive Pressures
Short-term focus, unsustainable
Opportunity Pressures
Temptation; the greater the reward or the smaller
the penalty, the greater the probability of unethical
conduct
Globalisation of Business
Negative cultural “cross-pollination”
35. What is a Conflict of
Interest?
A conflict of interest is a situation where a public
office holder exploits relationships with the
institution for personal financial or other gain, which
may compromise or have the appearance of
compromising professional judgment when making
decisions or influencing the decisions of other public
office holders.
36. Types of Conflicts of
Interest
TANGIBLE INTANGIBLE
The personal gain is
The personal gain is
professional or non-
financial/material
material
37. Potential Conflicts of
Interest
Conflict of effort or conflict of obligation is when
work time is spent on a secondary personal activity
Conflict of conscience is when personal, political, or
religious views influence objectivity
Political conflict of interest is when one responds
positively to an idea/proposal/person because it
represents or is presented by a person/party with
whom one is politically affiliated, or where one may
act to delay/prevent access or opportunity of a
competitor's idea/proposal in order to strengthen
the public office holder‟s preferred political group‟s
chances
38. Potential Conflicts of
Interest
Using institutional facilities, resources or time for
personal gain and/or activities for which one is paid
by anyone other than the employer, except when
such activities have been approved in compliance
with institutional policies and procedures
Accepting or soliciting any gift, hospitality, favor,
service, benefit, or monetary award that one should
reasonably know is offered to influence decisions or
actions (bribes, kickbacks, etc)
Doing personal business with the institution,
employees or trustees, or their immediate family
members or business partners
39. Potential Conflicts of
Interest
Participating in the hiring of or having
supervisory authority over a family member
or a relative
Accepting additional employment which
competes or conflicts with one‟s primary
duties
Excessively browsing the web, participating
in social media, or participating in
entertainment or leisure activities during
official time and for reasons not related to
official duties
40. Potential Conflicts of
Interest
Accepting compensation for referring
employees to vendors
Reselling materials received as part of one‟s
role in the organisation
Engaging in a sexual or amorous relationship
with someone over which one has supervisory,
decision-making, advising, and other
evaluative responsibilities
sharing inside information, falsifying records,
defrauding customers, obstructing an
investigation
41. Priority Areas for Ethics in Society
Government
Business
Media
Arts & Entertainment
Education
Health
Religion
44. Tackling the issue
Establish an Ethics and Governance Policy for the MDA
Publish the Policy, along with a Code of Conduct for the
employees.
Communicate the policy widely and repeatedly.
Encourage dialogue and challenge,
Come down hard on the cynics.
Set the example from the top;
Circulate the policy amongst customers and suppliers.
Establish an Ethics Hotline which is secure, confidential and
available to all employees.
Take swift and fair action on reported violations, after due
verification.
Review the policy at regular intervals, to make sure it stays
current with changing requirements.
45. Establishing Ethical Standards
The Utilitarian Principle
The greatest good for the greatest number
Kant‟s Categorical Imperative
Universal Law or Rule of Behaviour
The Professional Ethic
Will a disinterested group of Pros agree?
The “Golden” Rule
Treat others the way you want to be treated
The Television Test
Would you comfortably explain your action on TV?
The Family Test
Would you comfortably explain your action to your parents, spouse
& kids?
The “Red Face” Test
Would you be ashamed if you were found out?
46. Maintaining Ethical Standards
Create a Credo/Statement of Values
Develop a Code of Ethics
Enforce the Code Fairly & Consistently
Hire the Right People
Conduct Ethics Training
Perform Periodic Ethics Audit
Establish High Standards of Behaviour, not just
rules
Set an Impeccable Ethical Example at all times
Create a 2-way Communication Culture
Involve Employees in Establishing Ethical Standards
47. The Naked Truth: Transparency Is Key
“…clarity and transparency
promote better behaviour. People
think twice about what they are
doing if the naked truth is staring
them – and the rest of the world –
in the face.”
49. Code of Conduct
An outline of responsibilities of or
best practice for an individual or the
organization
Set of principles of good
organisational behavior adopted by
the MDA
Nigerian Ministers Code of Conduct
50. CODE OF ETHICS FOR
GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Any person in Government
service should:
1. Put loyalty to the highest moral principals and to country above loyalty to Government
persons, party, or department.
2. Uphold the Constitution, laws, and legal regulations and of all governments therein and
never be a party to their evasion.
3. Give a full day's labor for a full day's pay; giving to the performance of his duties his
earnest effort and best thought.
4. Seek to find and employ more efficient and economical ways of getting tasks accomplished.
5. Never discriminate unfairly by the dispensing of special favors or privileges to anyone,
whether for remuneration or not; and never accept for himself or his family, favors or benefits
under circumstances which might be construed by reasonable persons as influencing the
performance of his governmental duties.
6. Make no private promises of any kind binding upon the duties of office, since a Government
employee has no private word which can be binding on public duty.
7. Engage in no business with the Government, either directly or indirectly which is
inconsistent with the conscientious performance of his governmental duties.
8. Never use any information coming to him confidentially in the performance of governmental
duties as a means for making private profit.
9. Expose corruption wherever discovered.
10. Uphold these principles, ever conscious that public office is a public trust.
51. Training and Communication
Ethics and Integrity
1. New employee orientation
2. Policy and/or employee handbook
3. Periodic discussions in meetings
4. Formal annual communication
5. Performance reviews
6. Employee hotline
52. Whistle-blower Act
A whistleblower is an employee, former
employee, or member of an organization,
especially a business or government agency,
who reports misconduct to people or entities
that have the power and presumed
willingness to take corrective action.
Generally the misconduct is a violation of
law, rule, regulation and/or a direct threat to
public interest -- fraud, health, safety
violations, and corruption are just a few
examples
53. Discipline
The punishment should fit the crime
Unintentional
Write-up
Impact on performance review
Deliberate
Termination
54. In the Final Analysis …
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP..
IS
Synonymous with Good Governance
Needed to turn Nigeria‟s Economic Growth into
Inclusive and Sustainable Development of its
People & Society
Needed to Bridge The Disconnect between the
Rulers and the People, and thus save the Nation
from an avoidable life of misery and costly revolt.
Built on Values and Character
Built on a Solid Foundation of Ethics & Integrity
55. Conclusion
Establishing & Maintaining High Ethical and
Socially Responsible Standards must be a
Priority for Leaders to be able to deliver the
“dividends of democracy” i.e.
Leaders must be aware of and committed to
enthroning conditions and structures that are
favourable to the development of integrity and
ethical behaviour
Leaders must recognise the key role they play
in influencing the people‟s ethical behaviour.
The Leaders‟ actions speak louder than words.
57. Keys issues in Crisis Management
the nature of organizational crisis
how to manage through it
and the role of ethics in confronting
one of the most difficult experiences
an organization can face.
58. Ethics in Crisis Management
…where something has publicly gone
wrong and the world is watching!
59. Crisis Timelines
Sometimes crisis is contained and
manageable, winding to its conclusion
in relatively short order.
At other times, the crisis is deep,
long-lasting and existential.
60. Types of Crisis
sudden, abrupt events that make
headlines
the long smoldering, cumulative kind
that has its roots in ongoing ne-
glect, carelessness, or
procrastination.
61. Examples of Crisis
Hurricane Katrina President Yar
Gulf Oil Spill Adua Illness
Ikeja Cantonment Global Financial
Bomb Explosion Crisis
Plane Crash US Govt Debt
ABSU Gang Rape Default
Abia “Backloading Post-Election Riots
of Non Indigenes”
Fuel Subsidy
Withholding of Removal Riots
Statutory Allocation
62. Challenges of Crisis
Management
Guiding the organisation through the
storm with its reputation intact.
As events unfold, dealing/confronted
with
surprising facts
unanticipated developments
frustrating challenges to the
organization‟s integrity and the values
that guide it
Remi ADESEUN
63. Dimensions of organizational crises
On the surface,
operational issues, legal entanglements
or public relations challenges.
Looking deeper,
character and ethics – who we are and
what we stand for.
Almost every question and every
decision will have an ethics component.
Outsiders (and many insiders, too) will
view the crisis with an ethics scorecard
and ask “did they do the right thing?”
64. Getting it Right
examine the issue of crisis response
and the role of ethics in preparing for
crisis,
managing through the turmoil,
recovering once the danger is
resolved.
65. Comfort..
With proper preparation and effective
response, crises can be overcome and
may even change organizations for the
better
Crisis-initiated adjustments, such as
more acute risk management or new
cohesiveness among employees, may
leave an organisation better positioned
at the end of a crisis than at the
beginning.
66. Organisational response to crisis
– in terms of the standards and
values that guide decision-making
– can be thoughtfully considered
before calamity strikes.
67. Leadership is key
An effective leader of a crisis team is equipped
to:
Honestly evaluate the facts of the situation
Recognize the core values of the
organization as they relate to decisions
being made by the team
Remain independent from the crisis (if
possible)
„ Manage emotions
Make high-level decisions
Provide leadership for the group
68. The Stages of Crisis Management
Detection
Preparation
Containment/Damage Control
Learning/Understanding
Recovering
Remi ADESEUN
69. Where does Ethics fit in?
Crisis is a test of character; who we
are gets magnifed before a global
audience.
Crisis management is fundamentally
about ethics and whether the
organisation’s response demonstrates
that it is guided by the right set of
values.
70. Where does Ethics fit in?
choosing between right and wrong.
pledge to “do the right thing.”
But when the crisis team faces specifc
decision points, identifying the “right
thing” is often a complex challenge
that involves sorting out conficting
responsibilities to a wide range of
stakeholders.
71. 6 Critical Questions in Crisis Management
1. The Crisis Team: Is There Somebody in the
Room Who Will Uphold the Organisation‟s Values?
2. Do We Have the Right Values to Guide us in
Crisis?
3. What Values Will our Stakeholders Expect us to
Honor in a Crisis?
4. How Will Our People and Culture React to Crisis?
5. How Will We Know When We‟ve Recovered From
Crisis?
6. Have we established Trust with External
Audiences?
72. 1) The Crisis Team: Is There Somebody in the
Room Who Will Uphold the Organisation‟s Values?
A. How confident are we that the people identifed as our crisis
team are well- versed in our ethics standards, and adequately
trained to resist the pressures to compromise our values?
B. Can one or more members of the team assess changing
conditions on an objective basis and apply our values in
responding?
C. Do we have sufficient resources if our Crisis Team needs an
independent perspective about a decision involving our core
values?
73. 2. Do we have the Right Values to
Guide us in a Crisis?
A. Will we be proud of our core values if we have
to publicly defend them during a crisis? Will
any of our values cast us in a poor light if
something goes wrong?
B. How would we want our crisis team to
prioritize of our values when faced with a
difcult decision?
C. To what extent does our current code of
conduct provide enough guidance to answer
questions that will emerge throughout a crisis?
74. Example of Values
RODOT VISION:
To be the preferred provider of products,services and solutions
to clients in our chosen spheres of endeavour.
RODOT MISSION:
To commit our internal resources and external alliances
towards contributing positively to our clients sucess and
delight.
CORE VALUES:
Creative and Quality Oriented
People-valuing Company
Learning Company
Ethical Company
Team based high performance
Friendly work environment
75. 3. What Values will our Stakeholders
expect us to honour in a crisis?
Who are your Stakeholders? What is their
order of precedence?
Indigenes
Residents
Civil Servants
Political Party
Other Tiers of Government
Vendors/Suppliers/Contractors
Neighbours
Media
NGOs and other Special Interest Groups
Members of the Public-at-large
76. 3. What Values will our Stakeholders
expect us to honour in a crisis?
A. Who are the stakeholders who will be
important to us, if crisis should occur?
B. What values do our stakeholders expect us
to employ in a crisis situation? To what
extent are those values in line with our
priorities?
C. Are there any stakeholder groups that should
receive a copy of our values statement now,
so that in a time of crisis we have earned
credibility as having a set of standards to
guide our decisions?
77. 4. How will our People and Culture
React to the Crisis?
A. To what extent do our people have
confidence in the leadership and
believe that our organisation will live
up to its stated values in a time of
crisis?
B. How do we want our culture to react to
a crisis?
C. Based on what we know of our culture
now, how will it actually react?
78. 5. How will we know we have
recovered from crisis?
A. What metrics do we currently use to
gauge the well-being of our organisation
and its reputation?
B. What additional metrics will we need to
give us an indication of our organisation‟s
recovery if crisis ensues?
C. After a crisis is over, how can we
improve our organization‟s crisis response?
D. How can our organization help ensure
that this problem doesn‟t happen again?
79. 5. How will we know we have
recovered from crisis?
Peoples trust in leadership
Strong ethical culture
Supplier & vendor confidence in the
organisation‟s integrity
People‟s trust in organisation‟s image
Respect from peers and informed observers for
the crisis response
80. 6. Have we established Trust with
External Audiences
A. To what extent have we publicly established a reputation of
having a set of core values that guide our policy decisions?
B. What are we doing now to demonstrate our commitment to
integrity among public officials, regulators and enforcement
agencies?
C. What efforts are underway to establish credibility among our
other external audiences?
Communities where we operate
NGOs and interest groups
Customers
Shareholders
Peers/Neighbours
Members of the press
81. 6. Have we established Trust with
External Audiences
“We wouldn’t have survived [our crisis] if we
didn’t have that love and loyalty [of our
employees and customers]. And it stems, in
some measure, from our heritage as a good
corporate citizen. So for us…our past behavior
was like money in the bank. It gave us a
reservoir of goodwill that we could draw upon
in our hour of need.”
82. Recommended Action Steps..(1)
1. Establish/Review Core Values
2. Conduct periodic ethics training for
persons identifed to serve on a crisis
team
3. Conduct a comprehensive
stakeholder review.
4. Review crisis communications plans
and outline ethics-related messages
83. Recommended Action Steps..(2)
5. Conduct a culture assessment
6. Make systematic “deposits in the
credibility bank.”
7. Conduct an objective post-mortem.
8. Have additional resources “on the
ready.”
85. Summary
Crises and crisis management have many
dimensions
When problems arise, survival demands
strong performance in many areas.
“Communicate, Communicate,
Communicate.”
Where applicable, apply „the Three As‟ –
Acknowledge, Apologize, Act.”
Take ownership and fix the problem
because something went wrong!
86. Conclusion
The key success factor throughout a crisis is ethical behavior
openness to the truth
acceptance of responsibility
commitment to setting things right
Companies with ethical cultures, beginning with strong tone at the top,
fare better in day to day operations and during crisis.
Their employees are more loyal, and more willing to go the extra mile to get
their job done.
Potential problems are identifed sooner and reported up the line, which
helps avert crisis in the frst place and helps resolve them more efficiently
when they do arise.
The number one priority is for Leaders to insist on ethical cultures.
Ask the key questions outlined above,
Find vulnerabilities, and make sure they get fixed.
If the Leaders can do that, the organisation will be better prepared should
crisis strike.
GDP growth, especially in developing countries, often signifies little in terms of human life and well-being.#Human Development Index is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education, and standards of living for countries worldwide. It is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare. It is used to distinguish whether the country is a developed,developing, or under-developed country, and also to measure the impact of economic policies on quality of life. The index was developed in 1990 by Pakistani economist MahbubulHaq. Countries (almost all UN member states and a couple of special territories) fall into three broad categories based on their HDI: high, medium, and low human development. Nigeria is 25 of 50 African Countries (Medium HDI).Perhaps, one issue that most analysts gloss over or find it convenient to ignore but which has implications for Nigeria’s systemic competitiveness is the Failed States Index (FSI). Unfortunately, the world and investors do not ignore it.In 2005 when the FSI was first published, Nigeria ranked 54th in the world. The following year, 2006, its rank worsened to 22nd most failed state in the world. In 2009, it had worsened to 15th position and in 2010 and 2011, we have been rated the 14th most failed state in the world. A look at the list of the worst 35 countries (countries on red alert--- see appendix table 2 for the 2011 result) makes you take a long deep breath. (List of the worst 20 in 2011 in descending order of failure include: Somalia, Chad, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Pakistan, Yemen, Nigeria, Niger, Kenya, Burundi, Myanmar, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia). Even Liberia (ranked 26) and Sierra Leone (ranked 30) are far better. Angola, another African oil producer improved from 43rd in 2005 to 52ndin 2011. I still cannot find any other oil producing country whose ranking worsened during the period. Sadly, it is evident that Nigeria takes the first position as the country with the highest speed of deterioration between 2005 and 2011.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union, a Geneva, Switzerland-based group, says every parliament should be representative, transparent, accessible, accountable and effective. But the lawmakers that peopled the nation’s legislative assemblies nationwide lacked any of the five characteristics. The National Assembly instituted in June 2007, very much like those of 1999-2003 and 2003-2007, opted for class interest, completely detached itself from the electorate and failed to provide the required checks and balances in a presidential system. To sustain their jumbo pay, the National Assembly members ensured that year in year out, Appropriation Bills were sufficiently padded to guarantee sufficient funds for their luxury – a factor largely responsible for the current stalemate over Budget 2011. On November 28, 2010, at Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, LamidoSanusi, revealed that 25 per cent of the Federal Government’s expenditure on overheads is consumed by the unproductive parliament. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. ItseSagay, provided facts and figures on the ridiculous salaries and allowances of the federal lawmakers. According to him, “In 2009, a senator earned N240 million [$1.7 million] in salaries and allowances, while his House of Representatives counterpart earned N203 million [$1.45 million.” In sharp contrast, a United States senator earns $174,000 per annum, while a British parliamentarian earns $64,000. It mattered little to Nigeria’s lawmakers that the National Minimum Wage since 2003 was N7, 500 per month at the federal level and N5, 500 per month in the states. They were unconcerned that over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population live below the poverty line, on less than N300 a day, and that some 15 million Nigerian children of school age are unable to receive formal education because their parents are very poor.
The disconnect is so bad that the people no longer care!Their key areas of concern over the next 12 months are the supply of electricity and unemployment, with between 19-23% citing these as concerns; while crime (5%) and corruption (3.5%) are seen as far less concerning.Yet 75% of middle-class Nigerians are optimistic about the future of Nigeria. This is not surprising although it has nothing to do do with the people’s faith in government. On the contrary, it hasmore to do with faith in God. 96% of Nigerians surveyed consider themselves religious and the 3rd most cited reason for optimism about the future of Nigeria is that “God will make it better”!
The Inter-Parliamentary Union, a Geneva, Switzerland-based group, says every parliament should be representative, transparent, accessible, accountable and effective. But the lawmakers that peopled the nation’s legislative assemblies nationwide lacked any of the five characteristics. The National Assembly instituted in June 2007, very much like those of 1999-2003 and 2003-2007, opted for class interest, completely detached itself from the electorate and failed to provide the required checks and balances in a presidential system. To sustain their jumbo pay, the National Assembly members ensured that year in year out, Appropriation Bills were sufficiently padded to guarantee sufficient funds for their luxury – a factor largely responsible for the current stalemate over Budget 2011. On November 28, 2010, at Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, LamidoSanusi, revealed that 25 per cent of the Federal Government’s expenditure on overheads is consumed by the unproductive parliament. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. ItseSagay, provided facts and figures on the ridiculous salaries and allowances of the federal lawmakers. According to him, “In 2009, a senator earned N240 million [$1.7 million] in salaries and allowances, while his House of Representatives counterpart earned N203 million [$1.45 million.” In sharp contrast, a United States senator earns $174,000 per annum, while a British parliamentarian earns $64,000. It mattered little to Nigeria’s lawmakers that the National Minimum Wage since 2003 was N7, 500 per month at the federal level and N5, 500 per month in the states. They were unconcerned that over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population live below the poverty line, on less than N300 a day, and that some 15 million Nigerian children of school age are unable to receive formal education because their parents are very poor.
177 states were included in the list, of which 35 were classified as "alert", 88 as "warning", 40 as "moderate", 11 as "sustainable". The worst 20 states are shown below. Change in rank from 2010 is shown in parentheses. There was a tie between Myanmar and Guinea Bissau for 18th. [34]Failed States IndexSee also: List of countries by Failed States IndexSince 2005 the United States think-tank Fund for Peace and the magazine Foreign Policy, publishes an annual index called the Failed States Index. The list only assesses sovereign states (determined by membership in the United Nations.)[5] Several territories are excluded until their political status and UN membership is ratified in international law. For example, Taiwan, the Palestinian Territories, Northern Cyprus,Kosovo, and Western Sahara are not included in the list, even though some are recognized as sovereign states by some nations. Ranking is based on the total scores of the 12 indicators (see below.) For each indicator, the ratings are placed on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being the lowest intensity (most stable) and 10 being the highest intensity (least stable). The total score is the sum of the 12 indicators and is on a scale of 0-120.[5][edit]Indicators of state vulnerabilityThe index's ranks are based on twelve indicators of state vulnerability - four social, two economic and six political.[6] The indicators are not designed to forecast when states may experience violence or collapse. Instead, they are meant to measure a state's vulnerability to collapse or conflict. All countries in the red (Alert, FSI of 90 or more), orange (Warning, FSI of 60 or more), or yellow (Moderate, FSI of 30 or more) categories display some features that make parts of their societies and institutions vulnerable to failure. Some in the yellow zone may be failing at a faster rate than those in the more dangerous orange or red zones, and therefore could experience violence sooner. Conversely, some in the red zone, though critical, may exhibit some positive signs of recovery or be deteriorating slowly, giving them time to adopt mitigating strategies.[5][edit]Social indicatorsDemographic pressures: including the pressures deriving from high population density relative to food supply and other life-sustaining resources. The pressure from a population's settlement patterns and physical settings, including border disputes, ownership or occupancy of land, access to transportation outlets, control of religious or historical sites, and proximity to environmental hazards.[7]Massive movement of refugees and internally displaced peoples: forced uprooting of large communities as a result of random or targeted violence and/or repression, causing food shortages, disease, lack of clean water, land competition, and turmoil that can spiral into larger humanitarian and security problems, both within and between countries.[8]Legacy of vengeance-seeking group grievance: based on recent or past injustices, which could date back centuries. Including atrocities committed with impunity against communal groups and/or specific groups singled out by state authorities, or by dominant groups, for persecution or repression. Institutionalized political exclusion. Public scapegoating of groups believed to have acquired wealth, status or power as evidenced in the emergence of "hate" radio, pamphleteering and stereotypical or nationalistic political rhetoric.[9]Chronic and sustained human flight: both the "brain drain" of professionals, intellectuals and political dissidents and voluntary emigration of "the middle class." Growth of exile/expatriate communities are also used as part of this indicator.[10][edit]Economic indicatorsUneven economic development along group lines: determined by group-based inequality, or perceived inequality, in education, jobs, and economic status. Also measured by group-based poverty levels, infant mortality rates, education levels.[11]Sharp and/or severe economic decline: measured by a progressive economic decline of the society as a whole (using: per capita income, GNP, debt, child mortality rates, poverty levels, business failures.) A sudden drop in commodity prices, trade revenue, foreign investment or debt payments. Collapse or devaluation of the national currency and a growth of hidden economies, including the drug trade, smuggling, and capital flight. Failure of the state to pay salaries of government employees and armed forces or to meet other financial obligations to its citizens, such as pension payments.[12][edit]Political indicatorsCriminalization and/or delegitimisation of the state: endemic corruption or profiteering by ruling elites and resistance to transparency, accountability and political representation. Includes any widespread loss of popular confidence in state institutions and processes.[13]Progressive deterioration of public services: a disappearance of basic state functions that serve the people, including failure to protect citizens from terrorism and violence and to provide essential services, such as health, education, sanitation, public transportation. Also using the state apparatus for agencies that serve the ruling elites, such as the security forces, presidential staff, central bank, diplomatic service, customs and collection agencies.[14]Widespread violation of human rights: an emergence of authoritarian, dictatorial or military rule in which constitutional and democratic institutions and processes are suspended or manipulated. Outbreaks of politically inspired (as opposed to criminal) violence against innocent civilians. A rising number of political prisoners or dissidents who are denied due process consistent with international norms and practices. Any widespread abuse of legal, political and social rights, including those of individuals, groups or cultural institutions (e.g., harassment of the press, politicization of the judiciary, internal use of military for political ends, public repression of political opponents, religious or cultural persecution.)[15]Security apparatus as ‘state within a state’: an emergence of elite or praetorian guards that operate with impunity. Emergence of state-sponsored or state-supported private militias that terrorize political opponents, suspected "enemies," or civilians seen to be sympathetic to the opposition. An "army within an army" that serves the interests of the dominant military or political clique. Emergence of rival militias, guerilla forces or private armies in an armed struggle or protracted violent campaigns against state security forces.[16]Rise of factionalised elites: a fragmentation of ruling elites and state institutions along group lines. Use of aggressive nationalistic rhetoric by ruling elites, especially destructive forms of communal irredentism or communal solidarity (e.g., "ethnic cleansing", "defending the faith").[17]Intervention of other states or external factors: military or Paramilitary engagement in the internal affairs of the state at risk by outside armies, states, identity groups or entities that affect the internal balance of power or resolution of the conflict. Intervention by donors, especially if there is a tendency towards over-dependence on foreign aid or peacekeeping missions.[18]
Establish an Ethics and Governance Policy for the company, through discussions within thesenior management team; benchmark it with the policies of best-practice organisations. Write itout in plain, easy to understand language.Publish the Policy, along with a Code of Conduct for the employees. Illustrate the codewith typical examples of what the employee should do, when faced with day-to-day ethicaldilemmas. In other words, demystify official jargon, and make the policy user-friendly.Communicate the policy widely and repeatedly. Start all meetings with a slide on it; holdrefresher training programmes; get all employees to sign; and make it part of the newemployee orientation.Encourage dialogue and challenge, in order to improve understanding and "ownership" ofthe policy at an individual level.Come down hard on the cynics.Set the example from the top; practice the policy consistently and visibly. This is critical,the ultimate fate of the policy depends on this.Circulate the policy amongst customers and suppliers. This will make it easier for theemployees to follow the policy.Establish an Ethics Hotline which is secure, confidential and available to all employees.Someone senior should handle this hotline, with direct reporting to the CEO; alternatively, itcould be the CEO's office itself.Take swift and fair action on reported violations, after due verification.Review the policy at regular intervals, to make sure it stays current with changingregulatory and market requirements.
Sarbanes-Oxley is An Act to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures made pursuant to the securities laws, and for other purposes.
crisis is contained and manageable, winding to its conclusion in relatively short order. (UK Riots, Post-election Riots, epidemics, floods, Chile Mines Collapse)Other times, the crisis is deep, long-lasting and existential. (eg Global Financial Crisis)
In some instances, an organisation may even grow in public esteem if it takes ownership of a problem and acts decisively to resolve it. By contrast, organisations that deny problems, try to shift blame, or just seem confused in their response compound their crisis by adding self-inficted damage, especially in the early stages when public attention is the keenest.
Whatever the roots, crises tend to unfold in predictable stages – from denial to anger to blame shifing to acceptance – even as we struggle to fnd a fix. With proper preparation and effective response, crises can be overcome and may even change organizations for the better.
At its most basic level, ethics can be defined as choosing between right and wrong. Organisations in crisis may begin their response with a pledge to “do the right thing.” But when the crisis team faces specifc decision points, identifying the “right thing” is ofen a complex challenge that in- volves sorting out conficting responsibilities to a wide range of stakeholders.e.g. US Govt decision to target for killing its own citizen Al-Awalaki
Ethics pertains to situations where “the right thing to do” is in question, and the outcome of the decision afects other people. Because everyanswer in a crisis has an impact on others, every question is at least partly about ethics. Organisational Leaders can play a decisive role by resolving key ethics questions or, at least, setting the parameters for management.And, it’s a good idea for a board to address these questions in advance – in a calm environment rather than amid the turmoil and time pressure that can dominate when a crisis hits.Presumably, the organisation has a crisis plan and has generally identifed the core team that will take day-to-day responsibility for managing a crisis. Organisations shouldidentify in advance competent professionals from core functions such as communications/information, legal and human resources when assembling the team. But crisis situations add a level of stress and public pressure that is ofen unmatched by other challenges. Team members also must be prepared to apply the organisation’s core value and act as ethicists in a pressure cooker environment. Ethics and values may fall to the wayside unless members of the crisis team have the mindset, personal character and training to bring ethics into the discussion.To avoid problems, organisational leaders should encourage the establishment of a crisis team that can focus to the big picture and draw individual team members out of functional silos, so that the impact of decisions can be considered in a larger context.
Values come to the fore in crisis when they can guide responses and help defne priorities. For example, what’s most important -- shareholder expectations or service to customers? In a crisis, will the company emphasize problem solving or limiting legal liability? If a crisis reduces proftability will the company care more about maintaining jobs or cutting costs? How will we choose when stakeholders have clashing interests?
Many voices emerge – some loudly – when a crisis unfolds. It is essential for a crisis team to know which stakeholder groups are most important, so that they can weigh carefully the impact of their decisions on each group. When troublesurfaces, many interest groups will have a stake.An organisation in crisis will want to live up to its stakeholders’ expectations and honor their interests. These groups have tied their own future to the organisation. They have a stake and the way the crisis plays out has implications for them.Recognising that stakeholders may have competing interest and conflicting views about values that should guide the organisation’s decisions, Leaders can set the stage for crisismanagement by considering stakeholder expectations. Answering the broad questions on the next slide can guide response to the stakeholder views that will come up during a crisis.
In a crisis, confdent employees can be anorganisation’s best advocates; dissatisfed or distrustful employees, however, can be the worst enemy. The growing power of social media and text messaging, which provides a platform for employees to share their perspective with a wide audience, greatly amplifes employees’ impact, and creates both opportunity and risk.In preparing for crisis, therefore, leaders should ask how the organisation’s people will respond. One important aspect of that discussion is the prevailing culture. In organisations with strong ethical cultures, employees are more likely to rally behind their leaders because of their confdence that the organization aims to do things the right way – following the right values and working hard to serve customers and other stakeholders. e.g. the japanese.
Recovering from crisis is a lengthy process. Determining when reputational recovery is complete is as much an art as science, but there are some important signs. From an ethics perspective, these can include those listed above.Before a crisis, boards and senior executives should consider the indicators of company health under normal circumstances, and the most important metrics that should be monitored during and afer a crisis occurs.Like it or not, organisations in crisis also may have to consider how their decisions affect the rest of society because crises can lead to new laws, tighter regulations, and greater public scrutiny for all. Yet these situations can also be an opportunity to position an organisation as a leader of learning; helping to educate peers, legislators, policymakers and the future leaders of the organisation.
The odds of successful management of a crisis increase when an organization has built a foundation of trustamong external groups who will, at the least, listen with an open mind when problems arise. Participation in community events, supporting local organizations, and establishing working relationships with civic leaders as a normal part of doing business can open doors during a crisis. Leaders should insist that such activities take place regularly. Organisations should also develop trusting relationships with customers, partners, vendors, suppliers, etc.While a company cannot expect third parties to act as apologists, building a reputation for ethical performance may earn an organization the beneft of the doubt. An organization with a reservoir of good will is likely to be accorded a bit more time to correct the problem in a crisis. When a company lacks that foundation, key audiences are more likely to view it with skepticism and even assume it has acted improperly. While the ultimateoutcome will depend on the way an organisation responds to the crisis itself, the leaders can pre-position it by building a firewall of credibility.
A crisis will necessarily require real-time analysis that accounts for specifc circumstances. But taking the time to establish priorities beforehand provides the basis for smart thinking later.The following should be undertaken as soon as possible, before a crisis:1. Establish/Review Core values. Be sure that the values you expect to govern daily organisational conduct will also guide your crisis team during a difcult time. Test understanding of the values to be sure that they will shed a positive light on the organisation when they are held up as a yardstick to measure your company response to crisis.2. Conduct periodic ethics training for employees identifed to serve on a crisis team. Members of the crisis team should receive specialized training on the ethicsquestions that come up during crisis (in addition to regular training provided by the organisation to all employees). This special training should address ways to make ethical decisions while under extreme pressure, and it should highlight the resourcesavailable to the crisis team if they are in need of an independent perspective. This training should be conducted periodically so that team members are very familiar with the core values of the organisation and how they apply to crisis management.3. Conduct a comprehensive stakeholder review. Most efforts to assess perspectives of organisational ethics and compliance focus on leaders, senior managers and employees. Customers, vendors and suppliers also have strong perceptions of an organisation’s ethics, and these views should be ascertained now while the organisation is not in crisis. Additionally, gather information about the values that stakeholders expect will guide the organisation’s response to crisis.4. Review crisis communications plans and outline ethics-related messages. When stakeholders and employees understand how the values of an organization factor into policy decisions, they are more likely to accept the outcome of diffcult decisions and trust the decision-maker. Crisis communications are opportunetimes for spokespeople to highlight the ways that the core values of the organization are important to decision-making, but most spokespeople are not immediately prepared to articulate values in this context. Crisis communications plans should outline key messages that incorporate organizational values, so that spokespeoplehave a ready reference to utilize.
5.Conduct a culture assessment. Te best way to understand how employees will react to a crisis is to understand your organisation’s culture during normal circumstances, and the extent to which they feel valued and supported by the organization. To what extent do people perceive leaders as models of integrity? How comfortable areemployees in raising bad news? To what extent do the values of the organization really matter in daily business? Surveys of employee attitudes and focus groups also can be valuable in identifying how employees expect their peers will react to sudden change, and the best mechanisms for showing support to employees during difficult circumstances. 6. Make systematic “deposits in the credibility bank.” Build relationships with key external audiences, including elected officials, civic groups, community leaders,and the media, as well as direct stakeholders. By living out core values through good governance and helping enhance your communities, you demonstrate that you live your values, not just talk about that. These deposits in the credibility bank can pay important dividends in a crisis or other distruptive event in the form of good will. When an organisation has good standingin the community, external groups will be more likely to wish it well and support it during a crisis. Even gaining the neutrality of a group that might otherwise be a critic can be invaluable.7. Plan to be a thought leader if crisis occurs.It is essential to establish a process for a thoughtful post-mortem – not to assign blame, but to learn from the past and move forward efectively. Looking back on crisis, determining what caused it, how the organisation managed the crisis, how to avoid a repeat, and sharing the lessons with others can enable an organisation to beneft from the turmoil. Recovery cannot be truly complete until a post-mortem that helps the organisation learn. Organisations should plan external activity from launching a new communication campaign to sharing lessons learned from the crises with industry peers. 8. Have additional resources “on the ready.” Identify the resources that should be prepared to assist the crisis team. Ensure that crisis team is aware of these resources and their capabilities. Some additional resources that should be considered include the ethics/compliance office, communications department, outside counsel, and/or a public relations expert.