Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to understand the underlying components of integrity and examine its value. The approach is through identifying and expanding on the common values of integrity such as honesty, conscientiousness and principle. There is a need to find a common ground in the sense of giving specific values towards integrity. Current works of literature indicate that there is a gap in assigning the core values of integrity. This information was collected through a semi-structured qualitative interview with 15 experienced participants from a wide range of background and has extensive experience with the fields of integrity. Such samples are from academic experts, government practitioners, representatives of government agencies, and non-governmental organisations. The identified components are then projected and validated through this list of participants. One of the objectives of this study is to understand the components of integrity through the life experience of people who are commonly associated with the areas of “integrity”. The common core values of integrity was identified through a process of systematic literature review and summarised in this study. Content analysis of the data identified multiple dimensions and sub-dimensions on integrity. The findings suggest that integrity is more than being honest, conscientious and with principle as other factors are determining factors of being a component of integrity. Values such as responsibility, sincerity, consistency, compliance, conscious, pride, social norms, ruling policies and awareness play a major role in the value of integrity. The paper builds a model of integrity components based on these interpreted values. This paper contributes to the growing interest in the concept of integrity and attempts to streamline the central components of integrity. The studies of integrity are timely contemporary issues which deserve scientific attention. The building of sophisticated models and empirical investigations in their own right are opportunities for society to improve on their understandings of human behaviour. The integrity model provides an opportunity and useful addition for governments, private institutions, and individuals to improve each of their core values towards integrity.
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Acknowledgements
The author(s) would like to thank the university (UiTM Shah Alam), department (Accounting Research Institute), Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM), government bodies, non-governmental organisations that participated and supported this research.
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Appendix: Design of the semi-structured interview
Appendix: Design of the semi-structured interview
Integrity
Type of question | Parameters | Selected interview questions |
|---|---|---|
General questions | Initiation | 1. Please tell me about your experience in the areas of integrity? 2. What do you value the most in terms of integrity? 3. In your opinion, what would be considered as actions of integrity? |
Descriptive questions | Literature | 1. In the literature we sent you, we included our definition of integrity. Is this close to your definition? In what way does your definition of integrity differ? 2. What practise would you strongly suggest as actions of integrity? 3. In your opinion, what is the difference between ethics and integrity? |
Context | Practice | ‘Integrity is defined as being honest and upright of which organisational characteristics are based on noble values such as trustworthy, transparent and accountability’(Engelbrecht et al., 2017). In your opinion, I would like to know the following: 1. As a leader, which one of the following definitions would you say best describes integrity from your point of view? a. Integrity as a general description of moral and ethical behaviour and includes such constructs as perceived leader integrity (Craig & Gustafson, 1998) b. The integrity of moral and ethical behaviours depends on the aspects of ethical leader behaviour (M. Brown et al., 2005) c. Integrity is the perception of the consistency between the leader’s words and deeds (Simons, 1999) 2. Does your organisation practice values related to integrity? 3. Why do you think there is a need to practice integrity? |
Literature | Honesty | Integrity is mostly associated with honesty. ‘The area of honesty is based on the core meaning of integrity, which encapsulates honesty as one of its prime components of definition’ (Bauman, 2013; Martin et al., 2013) a. Do you agree or disagree? Why? |
Conscientiousness | Integrity is associated with being conscientious. ‘Conscientious is defined as performing good behaviours with their assigned tasks or being vigilant (Sackett & Wanek, 1996; Becker, 1998) a. Do you agree or disagree? Why? | |
Principle | Principle is important towards integrity. a. Do you agree or disagree? Why? b. Do you agree that principles in rules, laws and standard operating procedures influence integrity? Why?\ | |
Corruption | 1. What aspect of integrity is most important to you in order to deter deviant behaviours in your organisation? 2. Do you have any experience with corruption? 3. What would you say are actions that will deter corruption? | |
Experience | Integrity Values | 1. Do you consider yourself as having integrity? Why? 2. Do you consider your organisation as having integrity? Why? 3. What are your thoughts on other values of integrity? 4. In your opinion, what are the other values that should be embedded within integrity? |
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Zahari, A.I., Said, J. & Arshad, R. Examining the Components of Integrity. Integr. psych. behav. 56, 234–265 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-021-09626-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-021-09626-8