Acceso usuarios
Elizabeth Dávid-Barrett
Codes of conduct are used widely in both public administration and industry by organisations seeking to regulate the behaviour of their members and promote adherence to a set of standards. In legislatures, the introduction of codes has gathered pace in recent years, driven either by a perceived need to respond to a corruption scandal or, especially in Eastern Europe, by international efforts to promote democracy and reduce corruption. This article sets out a theoretical case for the conditions in which codes are likely to be effective instruments of regulation. It suggests that a supportive culture of informal institutions is critical but unlikely to prevail in most democratising societies. However, the process of introducing codes may help to create the appropriate conditions.
