Administrative Fairness, Justice and Good Governance: What is the Relationship?

Abstract

The paper explores the relationship between administrative fairness and justice in conjunction with the modern concept of good governance. The analysis is based on reviewing the literature, research studies and practical experience of public organizations to explain and promote good governance and to identify different strategies dealing with it.  As a result of the review two basic approaches for stimulating and encouraging good governance were identified. The “values approach” attempts to increase institutional integrity by promoting moral values and ethical principles in order to motivate public servants to behave in an ethically appropriate manner, while the “legalistic approach” is generally a top?down legislative process that establishes laws and administrative procedures and attempts to obtain compliance with them through legal sanctions. The conclusion drawn is that coordinated use of both approaches is required to have a significant impact on improving good governance, because if used alone neither approach is sufficient.