IT has long been recognised that economic and social                                                                                                  
development is the consequence of good management. But what                                                                                           
constitutes good management?                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
As a profession, management is universal with considerable                                                                                            
ease of entry. There is no barrier to the practice of                                                                                                 
management.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Individuals can be given managerial duties and                                                                                                        
responsibilities, even without adequate preparation,                                                                                                  
education, training or experience.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Learning on the job and following the behaviour of more senior                                                                                        
managers are the traditional ways managers acquire competence.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Without adequate assessment, feedback and correction of                                                                                               
behaviour, such competencies can vary enormously.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Hence, while we can have excellent managers we can also have                                                                                          
really incompetent managers.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Because of the powerful consequence of managerial action, it                                                                                          
is important that there should be some minimal standards of-                                                                                          
performance expected of our managers.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
There are now immense opportunities to assist in the                                                                                                  
development.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Courses and seminars in practically every area of managerial                                                                                          
work are available to the Malaysian manager to help improve                                                                                           
performance.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
What is probably lacking is the Guidance that supports good                                                                                           
management practice.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Individual managers fall back on religion or corporate culture                                                                                        
to provide the benchmarks for ethical behaviour.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
As managers, we do not have the equivalent of the Hippocratic                                                                                         
Oath of the medical profession and, therefore, perceptions as                                                                                         
to what is permissible can be quite different for different                                                                                           
managers. Indeed where do we draw the line?                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
As an organisation that seeks to promote high ethical                                                                                                 
behaviour, the Malaysian Institute of Management recently                                                                                             
released to its members a Code of Ethics specifying what it                                                                                           
considers to be the principles of good management practice.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
These principles are now reproduced for the benefit of the                                                                                            
Malaysian management community.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
The principles cover three areas of managerial                                                                                                        
responsibility-the manager as the person, the manager and the                                                                                         
organisation, and the manager and the community.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
The Manager as the Person                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Managers have personal responsibilities, and should:                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
* Demonstrate integrity and humanity and avoid all                                                                                                    
discriminatory practices including those relating to race,                                                                                            
sex, religion and politics.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
* Have regard for the interests of society in carrying out the                                                                                        
policies of the organization.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
* Not injure or attempt to injure maliciously or recklessly,                                                                                          
directly or indirectly, the professional reputation, prospects                                                                                        
or business of others.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
* Respect the confidentiality of information which comes to                                                                                           
them in the course of their duties.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
* Balance the interests of their organizations, employers,                                                                                            
colleagues or friends with their personal responsibilities and                                                                                        
commitments.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
* Engage in continuing Yearning to enhance managerial and                                                                                             
professional competence.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
* Accept. only such work as they believe they are competent to                                                                                        
perform and, as necessary, obtain expert advice. .                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
* Be conversant with codes of other institutes and                                                                                                    
associations relevant to their responsibilities.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
* When called upon to give an opinion, to the best of their                                                                                           
ability do subjectively.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
The Manager and the Organisation                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Managers should take appropriate action to achieve and review                                                                                         
the objectives of the organisation.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
The action taken should include:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
* The effective and economic management of all available                                                                                              
resources.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
* The appointment, training and development of employees,                                                                                             
seeking to integrate their aspirations with the requirements                                                                                          
of the organisation.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
* The creation of a humane, safe, healthy and satisfying                                                                                              
working environment.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
* The development of effective communication, understanding                                                                                           
and co-operation between all employees.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
* The practise of delegation of authority wherever possible                                                                                           
and the acceptance of responsibility for the work of                                                                                                  
subordinates.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
* The fair and equitable treatment and remuneration of                                                                                                
employees.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
* Full disclosure of any material personal interest in any                                                                                            
matter it which the organization is a party or involved and                                                                                           
over which the manager will be deciding in part or in whole on                                                                                        
behalf of the organisation.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
The disclosure is to be made nor later than the time for the                                                                                          
decision and thereafter he shall refrain from participating in                                                                                        
the decision.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
* The frequent review of objectives.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
* Respect and act in accordance with the prevailing set                                                                                               
policies and objectives of the organization.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
* Refrain from speaking, acting or behaving in any manner                                                                                             
which is detrimental to the interest of the organisation.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
The Manager and the Community                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Managers should recognise the interests of the community and                                                                                          
act accordingly.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
The action taken should include:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
* Preserving and, wherever possible, improving the quality of                                                                                         
life within the member's sphere of influence, including making                                                                                        
every endeavour to conserve the environment.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
* Promoting the development of further understanding in                                                                                               
society of the role and place of the business community.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
* Ensuring all contracts and terms of business are clear,                                                                                             
copcise and honoured in full, unless terminated or modified by                                                                                        
mutual consent.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
* Ensuring all communications are informative, true and not                                                                                           
misleading, respecting cultural and moral standards, the                                                                                              
principles, practices and beliefs of all parties and the                                                                                              
dignity of the individual.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
* Eradicating corrupt practises.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
* Participating in public affairs and utilising available                                                                                             
professional capacity.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
* Instilling in others the need for ethical behaviour and                                                                                             
sound management practices.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
While the MIM Code of Ethics is a declaration of intent, it is                                                                                        
nevertheless a statement of the high standards of behaviour                                                                                           
which should apply to all members of the institute, standards                                                                                         
which are rightly demanded of managers by the community.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
The need for an improvement in the public image of the manager                                                                                        
is widely recognized.                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
The code will help place managers in a more appropriate light                                                                                         
in the eyes of the employees, younger people contemplating a                                                                                          
career in management and the community at large.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
It will give greater credence to the assertion that managers                                                                                          
are the most important and responsible section of the                                                                                                 
workforce.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
In releasing the code, the institute is also hopeful that                                                                                             
other kindred institutions, employers and organizations will                                                                                          
begin to examine the issue of minimum standards of behaviour                                                                                          
which could lead eventually to similar out-comes of expression                                                                                        
for their members, employees and subscribers.