A review of the conflict of interest in public organizations: Example of Malatya Metropolitan Municipality

Although its existence goes back to earlier times in history, the concept of conflict of interest has recently is been opened to discussions in Turkish public administration as a result of the new approach adopted by the government. The matter of preventing conflicts of interest is mostly subjected to an assessment on ethical perception. As a result of the most recent innovative changes in Turkish public administration, investigation and explanation of the conflict of interest has only recently found its place in literature. The purpose of this study is to manifest the conceptual framework about conflict of interest, and to explain preventative measures and legal requirements with reference to the Constitution of Republic of Turkey. These findings are based on the interview-oriented field research conducted in Malatya Metropolitan Municipality. This study is also designed to provide clarity on the perceptions of the employees in public service in relation to the conflict of interest and ethics. In accordance with the data obtained from field research conducted with Malatya Metropolitan Municipality, it is determined that the level of awareness was inadequate among the employees and solutions to these issues are provided with detail. While pointing out the shortcomings of the new regulative changes in public administration in regard to the conflict of interest, the aim of this study is also to provide answers to the possible steps to improve the ethic-oriented culture among the public servants. Key words: Ethics, Conflict of Interest, Public Administration.