The Shoemaker's Son Always Goes Barefoot”? Self-perception regarding rorruption by the employees of the AGU, CGU, and Federal Justice

Abstract

This article addresses the understanding of illicit practices within organizations, emphasizing the im­portance of organizational culture and the perceptions of members of the organization. The research investigates the perception of unethical conduct by public control agencies’ employees, such as the Attorney General’s Office (AGU), the Comptroller General’s Office (CGU), and the Federal Justice (JF), examining how this perception may have implications for the control activities these employees engage in. The analysis is based on the idea that the organizations’ history matters, and when considering changes in relation to unethical conduct, the hierarchical structures, culture, and informal values inherent to these organizations need to be taken into account. The rese­arch used data from the World Bank to examine the perception of control agency employees regarding unethical practices within the contexts of the organizations they are part of. The results indicate that organizational culture plays a role in the perception of these practices and in control activities. The study reinforces that the hierarchical position of agents influences perception and reporting capabilities, emphasizing the importance of leadership in understanding illicit practices. It highlights the need to consider the context and power relations when analyzing organizations and their control activities, as well as the need for specific organizational changes within the judi­ciary to facilitate internal efforts to combat unethical conduct.