The role of ethics in public procurement law: Theoretical study for the underpinnings of ethics

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Abstract

This paper aims to introduce the concept of ethical behavior in the public service, in general, and in public procurement, in particular. The issue of ethics has not been adequately addressed in the literature or laws (Rejeb et al., 2024). Ethics in any profession is fundamental in general, and in public procurement in particular. By promoting ethics through laws, regulations, and many other methods, corruption can be significantly reduced. The study also sought to define ethical values in public procurement by reviewing the most critical ethical values of the public service. The descriptive approach was used to review various definitions of public service ethics and values. The analytical approach was also employed to identify the causes and motivations underlying ethical collapse in public procurement as well as the factors contributing to deviations in this field. Several mechanisms have been identified to address this issue, which is considered a significant challenge to public procurement systems in many countries.

Keywords: Ethics, Morals, Public Office, Public Procurement

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — K.S.A., E.I., N.Z.A., and H.S.; Methodology — K.S.A., E.I., N.Z.A., and H.S.; Writing — Original Draft — K.S.A., E.I., N.Z.A., and H.S.; Writing — Review & Editing — K.S.A.; Supervision — K.S.A.; Project Administration — K.S.A.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: K10, K15, K19, K24

Received: 12.12.2024
Revised: 05.07.2025, 18.07.2025; 15.09.2025
Accepted: 07.10.2025
Published online: 10.10.2025

How to cite this paper: Aboelazm, K. S., Ibrahim, E., AlFil, N. Z., & Sharif, H. (2025). The role of ethics in public procurement law: Theoretical study for the underpinnings of ethics [Special issue]. Corporate Law & Governance Review, 7(3), 170–179. https://doi.org/10.22495/clgrv7i3sip2