Organizational Determinants of Whistleblowing. A Study of Italian Municipalities

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of how to develop whistleblowing systems in public administrations, by focussing on the organisational variables that lead to actual reporting being made. The research is based on an empirical analysis of 400 major Italian municipalities and the whistleblowing systems they have implemented as anti-corruption measures. The results show that actual reporting is positively correlated with the presence of specific whistleblowing procedures as well as training and education programs. Anonymous reporting plays a relevant role.

Understanding Whistleblowing Intention Among Public Sector Employees in the Northern Region of Malaysia: Does Gender Matter?

“…Hassink et al (2007) indicate that the basic pillars of an effective whistleblowing policy should include the nature of violations to be reported, officials or bodies to whom wrongdoing should be reported, reporting guidelines and formalities, confidentiality and anonymity, protection from retaliation, and investigation details. Previous studies have found that the availability of the whistleblowing policy and procedure will increase whistleblowing intentions (Previtali & Cerchiello, 2022;Li et al, 2020). Accordingly, the first hypothesis is derived as follows: H1: There will be a significant relationship between policy and procedure and whistleblowing intention among public sector employees in the northern region of Malaysia.…”

“…Therefore, training will ensure the whistleblowing policy and procedure meet organizational expectations and values. Previous studies revealed that training is one of the determinant factors influencing whistleblowing intention (Previtali & Cerchiello, 2022). Accordingly, the second hypothesis is derived as below: H2: There will be a significant relationship between training and whistleblowing intention among public sector employees in the northern region of Malaysia.…”

“…The knowledge, skills, and attitudes that they gained from the training provided will assist them in ethical decision-making in the future. Due to the potential risk and threat, training will reduce the whistleblower's pressures and constraints due to their natural discomfort (Previtali & Cerchiello, 2022). Furthermore, training is one of the mediums through which management can convey the values of their policies and procedures to their employees (Zarefar et al, 2020).…”

Food Safety Governance in the Age of COVID-19: How Does Employees’ Attitude on Public-Private Governance System Affect Their Willingness to Blow the Whistle on Food Violations?

“…Several studies have confirmed that training and education programs are highly significant determinants and have been found to have a positive effect on whistleblowing. The skills and knowledge that whistleblowers gain through education and training programs increase the likelihood that they will actually blow the whistle and reduce the stress and limitations associated with the natural discomfort that whistleblowers feel [36]. Furthermore, in cases where the perceived personal cost of whistleblowing increases and the willingness to report decreases, education about whistleblowing may be a good way to dissipate this effect and lead to an increase in willingness to report [37].…”

Whistleblowing in the travel industry: A research in the context of idealism and affective commitment

“…An effective strategy to combat corruption involves viewing whistleblowing as an informational activity (Cho & Song, 2015;Previtali & Cerchiello, 2022). This tool primarily functions as a means to advance communities, organizations, or societies (Lewis, 2006), while also serving as a safeguard against ethical transgressions (Anvari et al, 2019;Chen et al, 2023).…”