Introduction

Ethics management and corruption world-wide

Central concepts, limitations and some finer points

The analytical contribution of this book

The European Commission as a case study in ethics management

Research approach

Plan of the book

1. Public Ethics, Socialization and the Organizational Profile of the European Commission

1.1. A conceptual framework for addressing public ethics

1.1.1. Ethical dilemmas and views towards public ethics

1.1.2. Ethics management in public organizations

1.2. Organizational socialization: learning ethics on the job

1.2.1. Formal and informal learning sources

1.2.2. Socialization as acquiring role knowledge

1.3. The officials of the European Commission and their organizational socialization

1.3.1. Choosing a significant group of officials

1.3.2. Characteristics of the sample

1.3.3. Gaining access and recruiting participants

1.4. Conclusion

2. Change, Continuity and the Politics of Ethics Reforms

2.1. The compliance-integrity continuum

2.2. The development of ethics management in the European Commission services

2.2.1. The Kinnock reforms: a rule-based ethics system

2.2.2. The Kallas package: moving to a trust-based ethics system

2.2.3. The Kallas package after 2010

2.3. The Ethics Communication and the delivery of change

2.3.1. Public scrutiny and ethics scandals

2.3.2. Ethics as a political liability

2.4. Conclusion

3. "You are the Human Face of the Commission": Ethics Translated in Internal Administrative Practice

3.1. Ethics in internal communication: rules and the public image of the European Commission

3.2. Ethics "hot spots" in the European Commission

3.2.1. Types of ethical dilemmas

3.2.2. Type 1 issues: conflict of interests, outside activities and the limits of individual freedom of expression

3.2.3. Type 2 issues: whistleblowing

3.2.4. Type 3 issues: exchanges with private interests

3.3. Conclusion

4. Individual Views towards Ethics in the European Commission

4.1. Methodological observations

4.1.1. General observations on the vignette technique

4.1.2. The use of vignettes in this research project

4.2. Individual positions on public ethics

4.2.1. Vignette 1: The organization and the individual

4.2.2. Vignette 2: Officials within the organization

4.2.3. Vignette 3: The official, the organization, and external actors

4.3. Ethics on the work-floor: commonalities, divergence, and determinants

4.3.1. Commonalities and divergence

4.3.2. Exploring the divergence

4.3.2.1. Nationality

4.3.2.2. Organizational position

4.4. Conclusion

5. Discussing "Common Sense" ? How Ethics Management Shapes Individual Views to Ethics

5.1. Official communication and views from the work-floor

5.2. Ethics as "common sense"

5.3. Discussing about ethics

5.4. Conclusion

Conclusion

Summary of findings

The limits of ethics management

The European Commission after ethics reforms

Outlook

Final remarks