Drivers of integrity-based approach to ethics management (IBAEM) in the Nigerian construction organizations

Abstract

The alarming rate of unethical practices, despite the imposition of sanctions, penalties, and other compliance-based measures on construction organizations, necessitates the need to embrace an integrity-based approach to ethics management (IBAEM) to mitigating unethical practices. The IBAEM encapsulate both formal and informal ethical conduct intentionally led by the management towards building ethical conduct in an organization, among employees and other stakeholders, which makes it unique and effective. Therefore, this study investigated the drivers of the IBAEM in Nigerian construction organizations. The valid data received through a well-structured survey were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, namely mean score, standard deviation, Shapiro Wilk test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, post-hoc test, and factor analysis. The drivers of IBAEM are classified into ethical leadership-related, ethics communication and openness, and ethics audit and indicator drivers. The respondents’ rating showed that IBAEM may be more effective in consulting and contracting firms compared to government institutions. The study shows that senior management’s actions as role models in ethical practices and their commitment are essential. Therefore, regular ethics training for organization employees and senior management officers, and ethical construction business transactions between stakeholders, and business partners in all stages of construction projects, are recommended.