CPFM Module II

Governance, Leadership and Ethics flashcards

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Complete Flashcard Reference

Review every card in this deck. Open any card to reveal its answer. The first 10 are free; the other 40 come with the subject.

What are the five principles of corporate governance in the public sector?

Accountability, to government, oversight bodies and the public. Transparency in decision making and reporting. Fairness to all stakeholders. Responsibility for the institution's own conduct and performance. Independence of the board from undue interference.

Where does the line between the board and management fall?

The board sets direction and oversees; management executes day to day. A board member who directly runs operations, such as instructing staff on routine tasks, is breaching that governance boundary.

What is the CEO's governance role in a public institution, and to whom is the CEO accountable?

The CEO leads day-to-day management and implements board-approved strategy and policy. The CEO is accountable to the board for operational performance: the link between board oversight and execution.

Which oversight and enforcement body handles each kind of problem: EACC, ODPP, OAG, Ombudsman, NPS?

EACC: investigates corruption and enforces ethics standards for public officers. ODPP: decides on and conducts criminal prosecutions. Office of the Auditor-General: independent audit of public accounts. Office of the Ombudsman: public complaints about maladministration. National Police Service: investigates criminal conduct, including financial crime.

What are the three elements of the fraud triangle?

Pressure or incentive: a personal financial or other pressure motivating the fraud. Opportunity: a weakness in controls that makes the fraud possible. Rationalisation: the perpetrator's internal justification for why the fraud is acceptable. All three are typically present for fraud to occur.

Why are regular audits a governance tool and not just a compliance requirement?

They give the board and management independent, evidence-based insight into how well the institution is actually being managed, an input the board can act on rather than a box to tick.

What is the merit and the demerit of each of the five leadership styles?

Autocratic: fast decisions, but limited input and lower buy-in. Democratic: builds buy-in and wider input, but slower to decide. Laissez-faire: empowers capable teams, but risks drift. Transformational: inspires significant change, but demanding to sustain. Transactional: clear and consistent through reward and correction, but limited in inspiring beyond the transaction.

What is value-based leadership?

Leadership that grounds decisions in a defined set of ethical values, such as integrity, service and accountability, rather than purely in rules or expedience. It matters most for public leaders who hold discretionary power over public resources on behalf of citizens.

What forms can strategic partnerships and collaborations in the public sector take?

Inter-governmental agreements (national-county, or with other countries). Public-private partnerships. Multi-agency task forces. Development partner collaborations.

How do consequentialism, deontology and virtue ethics each judge an action?

Consequentialism (utilitarianism): by its outcomes. Deontology: by whether it follows moral duties and rules, regardless of outcome. Virtue ethics: by whether it reflects virtuous character.

What is corporate governance, and what does it balance in the public sector?