Overview
This unit challenges you to think critically about the factors shaping communities and institutions across the globe as societies deal with challenges of sustainability, inequality, and unethical practices. In this unit, you will examine the structuring of national integrity systems resting on the independence of the public sector, police, and judiciary, parliament and oversight by anti-corruption and public integrity bodies. The unit will develop your knowledge and skills necessary for good governance in modern societies drawing on contemporary ethical governance concepts and principles such as the United Nation Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals. You will also have the opportunity to share your knowledge and experiences in government, civil society, and market sectors.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Operationalise the concepts relating to integrated governance and ethical issues affecting regions, nations, institutions, and communities
- Critically analyse the roles and dynamic relationships of civil society, and the public and private sectors in good governance
- Create and develop ideas for changes in governance practices to address specific policy objectives
- Evaluate the role of state and non-state actors in ensuring that ethical norms and practices are applied in good governance.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Research Assignment - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| 1 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 20% | |||||||||
| 2 - Presentation - 30% | |||||||||
| 3 - Research Assignment - 50% | |||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
No referencing style set.
m.segon@cqu.edu.au
1. An introduction to ethics and morality
Begin Date: 11 Nov 2019Module/Topic
1. An introduction to ethics and morality
· Understanding ethics and ethical dilemmas in a changing administrative culture and practices
· Individual vs organisational morality, accountability and responsibility
· An overview of ethical decision making
o Consequentialism
o Deontology
o Virtue ethics (Aristotelian ethics)
Chapter
McDonald, G. (2015) Business Ethics: A Contemporary Approach, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. Chapt. 1, 10 & 11.
Velasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, T.S.J. and Meyer, M.J. (2015) Thinking Ethically, https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/thinking-ethically
Lawton, A., Rayner, J. and Lasthuizen, K. (2013) Ethics and Management in the Public Sector, Taylor and Francis, London. Chapt. 2
Preston, N. (2014) Understanding Ethics, Federation Press, Sydney. Chapt 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
2. The ethical duty of Public Service
Begin Date: 18 Nov 2019Module/Topic
· The role of ethics in public life.
· Role of the public sector in terms of service provision ensuring public value
· Duty of public servants and public sector employees and the importance of objectivity and discretion.
Chapter
Lawton, A., Rayner, J. and Lasthuizen,K. (2013) Ethics and Management in the Public Sector, Taylor and Francis, London. Chapt.4
Demmke, C & Moilanen, T (2012) ”The pursuit of public service ethics: Promises, developments and prospect”' in B.G Peters & J Pierre (eds), The Sage handbook of public administration, Sage, London, pp. 698-711.
Plant, J.F. (2018) “Responsibility in public administration ethics'”, Public Integrity, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 33-45
Preston, N. (2014) Understanding Ethics, Federation Press, Sydney. Chapt 8
May, W.F (1989) " Professionalism" The Australian Institute of Ethics and the Professions, Monograph Series, vol.1, no. 1
Whitton, H (1994) "The rediscovery of professional ethics for public officials" in N. Preston (ed) Ethics for the public sector, The Federation Press, Prahran.
Segon, M., Booth, C. and Pearce, J. (2019), "Management as a profession: a typology based assessment", Management Decision, vol. 57, no. 9, pp. 2177-2200. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-09-2016-0657
Events and Submissions/Topic
3. National Integrity Systems
Begin Date: 25 Nov 2019Module/Topic
· Anti-corruption institutions and their role, ICACs IBACs CCC etc
· Other institutions and their role: e.g. Ombuds
International Perspectives:
· OECD conventions
· Other country’s approaches- case study Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia etc
Chapter
Brown, A.J, & Heinrich, F. (2017) “National Integrity Systems – An evolving approach to anti-corruption policy evaluation” Crime, Law and Social Change, vol 68, no. 3, pp 283–292
Brown, AJ., Ankamah, S., Coghill, K., Graycar, A., Kelly, K., Prenzler, T. & Ransley, J. (2019) “Governing for integrity A blueprint for reform” Draft Report, Australia’s Second National Integrity System Assessment, Griffith University
Events and Submissions/Topic
4. Regulation and Governance in the Public Sector
Begin Date: 02 Dec 2019Module/Topic
- Governance and its relationship to ethics and integrity
- Scoping the public sector : Understanding public service vs public sector organisations- duties and purpose
- The role of Boards in Public Sector organisations
- Role of Executive and Non Executive Directors
- Comparison between private and public sector companies
Chapter
Ferrell,O.C., Fraedrich, J. & Ferrell, L. (2018) Business Ethics; Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Cengage, Stamford. Chapt. 2
Dellaportas, S., Gibson, K., Alagiah, R., Hutchinson, M., Leung, P., & van Homrigh, D. (2005) Ethics, Governance & Accountability : A professional perspective, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Qld. Chapt. 5
Allison, G. (1986) "Public and private management: are they fundamentally alike in all unimportant aspects" in S. Lane (ed.), Current issues in public administration, St Martin’s Press, New York, pp.184-200.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 09 Dec 2019Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
5. Public Sector Legislation and Ethics and Integrity
Begin Date: 16 Dec 2019Module/Topic
· State and Federal Legislation
· Requirements for Values and Codes as Law
· Examination of Government institutions charged with ethics and integrity oversight for the public service- e.g. Public Sector Commissions
Chapter
TBA
Events and Submissions/Topic
6. The role of ethical leadership in the Public Sector
Begin Date: 23 Dec 2019Module/Topic
· Ethical leadership, knowledge and capabilities required
· Role modelling and behaviour
· The role of leaders of ensure adequate resourcing and systems are developed
Chapter
Lawton, A., Rayner, J. and Lasthuizen,K. (2013) Ethics and Management in the Public Sector, Taylor and Francis, London .Chapt. 9
Ferrell,O.C., Fraedrich, J. & Ferrell, L. (2018) Business Ethics; Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Cengage, Stamford. Chapt. 11
Segon, M. (2012) Ethical Leadership: Building and maintaining an ethical culture" in P. Bowden (ed) Applied Ethics: Strengthening Ethical Practices, Tilde University Press, Prahran. Chapt 6
Driscoll, D. & Hoffman, M. (2000) Ethics Matters: How to implement values driven management. Center fro Business Ethics, Boston. Chapt 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
7. Organisational approaches to ethical culture: Compliance based approaches
Begin Date: 06 Jan 2020Module/Topic
- Using compliance to prescribe behaviour
- Links between law and compliance
- codes of conduct as formal policy
- Enforcement
- Compliance approaches and ethics- link to deontology
Chapter
Lawton, A., Rayner, J. and Lasthuizen,K. (2013) Ethics and Management in the Public Sector, Taylor and Francis, London. Chapt. 5-7
McDonald, G. (2015) Business Ethics: A Contemporary Approach, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. Chapt. 12
Ferrell,O.C., Fraedrich, J. & Ferrell, L. (2018) Business Ethics; Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Cengage, Stamford. Chapt. 4, & & 8
Sharp Paine, L. (1994) Managing for organisational integrity, Harvard Business Review, Boston https://store.hbr.org/product/managing-for-organizational-integrity/94207?sku=94207-PDF-ENG
Hoffman. W (1995) "A blueprint for Corporate ethical development in Business Ethics" in M.W. Hoffman and R. Frederick (eds) Business Ethics: Reading and cases in corporate morality, McGraw-Hill, Boston. Chapt.13
Newton, L. (1995) "The many faces of the corporate code" in M.W. Hoffman and R. Frederick (eds) Business Ethics: Reading and cases in corporate morality, McGraw-Hill, Boston. Chapt.13
Events and Submissions/Topic
8. Organisational approaches to ethical culture: Integrity based approaches
Begin Date: 13 Jan 2020Module/Topic
Integrity and Aspirational Approaches
Link to Virtue ethics as guiding principles
Developing Organisational Ethics: A holistic Approach
Managing the ethics function: Role and expertise
Chapter
Lawton, A., Rayner, J. and Lasthuizen,K. (2013) Ethics and Management in the Public Sector, Taylor and Francis, London. Chapt. 5-7
McDonald, G. (2015) Business Ethics: A Contemporary Approach, Cambridge University Press, MelbourneChapt. 12
Ferrell,O.C., Fraedrich, J. & Ferrell, L. (2018) Business Ethics; Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Cengage, Stamford. 4, & & 8
Sharp Paine, L. (1994) Managing for organisational integrity, Harvard Business Review, Boston https://store.hbr.org/product/managing-for-organizational-integrity/94207?sku=94207-PDF-ENG
Hoffman. W (1995) "A blueprint for Corporate ethical development in Business Ethics" in M.W. Hoffman and R. Frederick (eds) Business Ethics: Reading and cases in corporate morality, McGraw-Hill, Boston. Chapt.13
Newton, L. (1995) "The many faces of the corporate code" in M.W. Hoffman and R. Frederick (eds) Business Ethics: Reading and cases in corporate morality, McGraw-Hill, Boston. Chapt.13
Longstaff, S. (1994) "Why codes fail" in N. Preston (ed) Ethics for the public sector, The Federation Press, Prahran.
Events and Submissions/Topic
9. Training and development for ethics
Begin Date: 20 Jan 2020Module/Topic
· Can ethics be taught?
· Moral development and the role of educational and training.
· The importance of discourse in promoting ethical undertaking.
· Cases, role play and interaction as a means of enhancing ethics.
· Online ethics – when to use and not to use online technology.
Chapter
Bowden, P & Smythe, V.(2012) "Teaching and training in ethics" in in P. Bowden (ed) Applied Ethics: Strengthening Ethical Practices, Tilde University Press, Prahran. Chapt 7
Longstaff, S. (1994) What is ethics education and training" in N. Preston (ed) Ethics for the public sector, The Federation Press, Prahran.
Driscoll, D. & Hoffman, M. (2000) Ethics Matters: How to implement values driven management. Center fro Business Ethics, Boston. Chapt 12
Events and Submissions/Topic
10. Conflict of interests
Begin Date: 27 Jan 2020Module/Topic
· What are the common issues or areas that are most commonly cause conflicts?
- How are conflict of interest identified and how are they dealt with?
- What is the different between real and perceived conflicts of interest?
- What is the impact of conflict of inters on personal and organisational reputation?
Chapter
Dobel, J. P. (2017) "The strategic advantage of conflict of interest laws", Public Integrity, DOI: 10.1080/10999922.2017.1331635
OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) (2003) Managing Conflict of Interest in the Public Service OECD, Paris pp. 22-38
Events and Submissions/Topic
11. Whistleblowing in Australia
Begin Date: 03 Feb 2020Module/Topic
- What is Whistleblowing?
- Problems and issues with whistleblowing and duty.
- Whistleblowing as an ethical act.
- Australian whistleblowing legislation and protected disclosures
Chapter
OECD 2011, G20 Anti-corruption action plan. Protection of whistle blower.
Taylor, J. (2018) “Internal whistle-blowing in the public service: a matter of trust”, Public Administration Review vol. 778, no. 5, pp. 717-26.
Brown, A.J., Latimer, P., McMillan, J. and Wheeler, C. (2017) “Best-practice whistleblowing legislation for the public sector: the key principles” in A.J. Brown (ed) (2017) Whistleblowing in the Australian Public Sector: Enhancing the theory and practice of internal witness management in public sector organisations, ANU Press, Canberra
Wortley, R., Cassematis, P. and Donkin, M. (2017) “Who blows the whistle, who doesn’t and why?” in A.J. Brown (ed) (2017) Whistleblowing in the Australian Public Sector: Enhancing the theory and practice of internal witness management in public sector organisations, ANU Press, Canberra. Chapt 3
Bowden, P. (2012) "Whiste blowing" in P. Bowden (ed) Applied Ethics: Strengthening Ethical Practices, Tilde University Press, Prahran. Chap 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Presentations and Unit Summary
Begin Date: 10 Feb 2020Module/Topic
Presentations
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 17 Feb 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Presentation
Students will form groups in week 1 of term and in consultation with the facilitator, will undertake a comparative analysis of either
- Australia and one other country's approaches to the development of a national integrity system; or
- The duties of a public sector employee (as reflected by the relevant state or federal public service act) and the professional expectations of a particular occupation, e.g. Human Resource Management professional, Accountant, Engineer, etc,
The task requires the group to utilise literature, models and frameworks identified in the unit, and establish an analytical framework of better practice model for either the National Integrity system or profession duty. This section is essentially a literature review with a clear outline of the model or framework and supporting literature regarding each of the components. Each group will be allocated 20 minutes to present their analysis and findings. All members of the group must be involved in the delivery of the content. A copy of the PowerPoints MUST be provided to the facilitator PRIOR to the presentation.
Week 5 Monday (16 Dec 2019) 11:45 pm AEST
The presentation will be conducted during class for face to face students and at a designated time for online students.
Week 5 Monday (16 Dec 2019)
Feedback will be immediate with both verbal and written feedback being provided to students a following their presentation.
- Concise and structured presentation with introduction, main presentation and conclusion.
- Effective use of audio visuals and verbal communication delivered within the time allocation (20 mins per group)
- Use of appropriate models, concepts and theories as an analytical frame
- Identification of key issues, strengths and weaknesses or problems regarding the selected topic, against the analytical frame
- All group members to make a balanced contribution in the presentation.
No submission method provided.
- Critically analyse the roles and dynamic relationships of civil society, and the public and private sectors in good governance
- Create and develop ideas for changes in governance practices to address specific policy objectives
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Self-management
- Leadership
2 Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books
Students are required to keep a weekly journal, from weeks 1-9 reflecting on the content of the weekly topics and their application to public sector. Class activities may include case studies, video cases, guest speakers and diagnostic tools such as ethics and values questionnaires. Students are expected to comment on the application issues of the content and its personal relevance. In the case of diagnostic tools students are expected to reflect on the results and how this assist in understanding personal values, and ethical decision making. Each entry is to be approximately 150-200 words or two paragraphs of writing, for a total of 1600-1800 words. The key aspect of reflection is a critical self-evaluation. Students are expected to analyse their own positions and beliefs using the terms and concepts discussed during the unit.
Week 10 Friday (31 Jan 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 12 Friday (14 Feb 2020)
Students are required to:
- provide the collated 9 Journal entries to approximately 1600-1800 words and a reflection that analyses the journals with respect to key learnings and application.
- define key concepts and terms
- utilise key ethical, governance and public sector concepts and terms to describe and analyse their own decisions, positions or beliefs.
- use public sector and personal examples to illustrate ethical, and public sector concepts so as to demonstrate understanding.
- demonstrate a breadth and quality of research by using a minimum of 16 academic sources from recommended texts and Journal articles use of the APA in text referencing system to correctly cite academic sources
- Operationalise the concepts relating to integrated governance and ethical issues affecting regions, nations, institutions, and communities
- Critically analyse the roles and dynamic relationships of civil society, and the public and private sectors in good governance
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Research Assignment
Most medium to large public sector organisations already has clearly defined structures and internal policies and procedures in place. In many cases public service acts also establish values and codes that are in tend to prescribe and guide behaviours. However, concepts such as developing ethical cultures and engaging with stakeholders in the context of social responsibility practice have been relatively recent developments. For the most part organisations need to design these ethical systems and processes to fit existing organisation contexts. However, the majority of organisations lack the expertise and capability to design and implement the appropriate ethical strategies.
Students are to select a public sector organisation with which they are familiar or have access to. The organisation selected must be sufficiently large so as to have ethical and governance policies and procedures most of which would be available through the organisation's websites or publications. The selection of the organisation is to be approved by the class facilitator to insure appropriateness and avoid duplication.
The analysis is to focus on the strategies and techniques the organisation uses to develop an ethical culture and the promotion of ethical decision making. Consideration needs to be given to the use of codes of ethics/conduct, the communication of ethical polices, the existence of whistle blowing systems and ethics training etc.
The task requires the use of literature, models and frameworks identified in the unit, and establish an analytical framework of better practice model for internal ethical culture. This section is essentially a literature review with a clear outline of the model or framework and supporting literature regarding each of the component that enhance ethical behaviour. Students are to describe the organisation's approach, contrast this against the better practice framework and identify those areas that the organisation is meeting better practice and those where it needs to improve. An assessment needs to be made as to whether the organisation has sought to legitimately develop an effective ethical culture or whether it has adopted a compliance approach and only met the minimum requirement of the relevant public service act.
A series of supported recommendations are the to be made prior to drawing a conclusion. The written report must not exceed 2500 words.
Week 12 Friday (14 Feb 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Monday (17 Feb 2020)
Clear and effective report structure including introduction, theoretical framework (literature review) organisational analysis, gap identification, recommendations, a conclusion and a reference list.
The use of theory and literature that relates to ethical culture as a framework for analysis.
The use of a minimum of 16 quality references made up of recommended texts and academic journal articles so as to demonstrate breadth and quality of research.
The use of the APA in text referencing system to correctly cite academic sources.
- Create and develop ideas for changes in governance practices to address specific policy objectives
- Evaluate the role of state and non-state actors in ensuring that ethical norms and practices are applied in good governance.
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
