ABSTRACT
Standards of conduct are statements of right behavior intended to guide the actions of individuals within public organizations. Standards are usually justified by reference to higher values or norms. In the public sector, efforts to derive standards of conduct have a long history and were based initially on preventing corrupt acts or political interference in administrative activities. More recently, codes of conduct have become common, drawn from such sources as legislation, executive orders, and professional associations. Standards of conduct are used to guide behavior within organizations, in interactions with constituents, or to guide conduct toward the public interest. Usually, but not in all cases, standards of conduct are more explicit than codes of ethics in identifying proscribed activities and disciplinary actions that may follow. Debate continues around such questions as the enforcement of standards, the effectiveness of internalized controls vs. externally enforced standards, and the importance of a values statement as a foundation for right behavior.
