Managers’ perception of ethics in public entities and service delivery using the corporate virtue scale

Abstract

Ethical culture is the epitome of the success of various organizations and a prerequisite for progress. This study aimed to examine the construct validity of the Corporate Virtue Scale (CEV) and find if there is any association between ethical culture and its impact on employees’ wellbeing. The sample was composed of 277 managers from various government entities in the Buffalo Municipality in South Africa. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the eight-factor CEV scale. The employees’ perceptions of ethical culture in public entities were associated with their stress levels and emotional exhaustion. Thus, the findings of this study revealed that the ethical culture of organizations plays a huge role in the wellbeing of employees. The study concludes that the CEV scale is a proven instrument with construct validity. The recommendation is that the government should focus on simplifying rules and procedures that help to cultivate an ethical culture within public entities.