Public Accountability and Deviant Behavior

The objective of this study is to conduct empirical research on the issue of deviant behavior among public administrators. The study defines deviance as multidimensional constructs, encompassing both organizational and interpersonal deviances, and identifies four public accountability dimensions - external accountability, internal accountability, leadership, and personality - as contributing factors to the deviance problem. Structural equation modeling revealed all constructs to be valid and reliable, with a well-fitted model. Notably, public accountability dimensions, except for leadership, have been found to significantly influence organizational and interpersonal deviance. Decision-makers can use the findings to better understand the effects of public accountability on deviant behavior.