Abstract

Promoting ethical orientation can facilitate the transition from the logic of government to that of governance involving participation, responsibility, transparency, and accountability. Therefore, it is interesting to define a strategy of professional ethics allowing the establishment of action reference framework which determines the general values and principles regulating action and future achievement. The purpose of this article is to investigate the significance of adopting a strategy of professional ethics for the implementation of local governance principles. The survey was conducted in the Tunisian context, namely Tunisian municipalities. The surveyed population comprises 72 public officials who have managerial positions with decision-making and supervision authority in their respective areas of professional activity. The collected data were analysed, using structural equation models with latent variables, particularly the Partial Least Squares approach (PLS). The findings demonstrate that the development of ethical orientation in the organisational structure of Tunisian municipalities is still in its embryonic stage. This explains their deployment of a reactive-defensive strategy of professional ethics. Deviations from the standards required in local governance are detected. This is attributable to the amplitude of the control mechanism imposed by the State and the restriction of authority accorded to Local Public Communities (LPC). This prevents them not only from identifying and implementing local regulatory mechanisms to control and improve management but also from taking the right initiatives to deter or at least reduce unethical behaviour shown by tenured public officials as well as external stakeholders.

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