Trust and Integrity Violations in Finnish Public Administration: The Views of Citizens

Trust and integrity are the cornerstones of a democratic and open society. Good governance and transparency should be studied by observing citizens’ influence, particularly when the citizen perspective is often neglected in empirical research on administrative ethics. This article deals with trust and integrity violations in Finnish public administration from the citizens’ viewpoint. We survey how ordinary citizens judge (significance valuated) trust and integrity violations in Finnish public administration. The following ethical issues are analysed: trust in public organizations and institutions serious violations of integrity, such as bribery, theft and fraud other forms of corruption such as old boy networks, nepotism, linkages in business life and bad and careless treatment of citizens. The evidence is based on the empirical data from a large-scale citizen questionnaire implemented by the University of Vaasa in Spring 2008 Trust and integrity are the cornerstones of a democratic and open society. Good governance and transparency should be studied by observing citizens’ influence, particularly when the citizen perspective is often neglected in empirical research on administrative ethics. This article deals with trust and integrity violations in Finnish public administration from the citizens’ viewpoint. We survey how ordinary citizens judge (significance valuated) trust and integrity violations in Finnish public administration. The following ethical issues are analysed: trust in public organizations and institutions serious violations of integrity, such as bribery, theft and fraud other forms of corruption such as old boy networks, nepotism, linkages in business life and bad and careless treatment of citizens. The evidence is based on the empirical data from a large-scale citizen questionnaire implemented by the University of Vaasa in Spring 2008