Bogor, Formosa News — Ethical conduct in public administration can play a major role in improving the quality of public services in Indonesia, according to a 2026 study by Neng Virly Apriliyani, Muhammad Husein Maruapey, Siti Maryanah, Maldena Zahra, Novitasari, Salsa Allysa, Aldi Nugraha Saputra, and Dian Setyawan of Universitas Djuanda, Bogor. Published in the International Journal of Applied Research and Sustainable Sciences (IJARSS), the study examines how integrity, accountability, transparency, fairness, professionalism, and responsiveness can support better public services and strengthen public trust.
The findings are relevant to Indonesia's continuing efforts to improve public administration. The researchers argue that regulations, administrative systems, and technology alone are not enough to guarantee high-quality services. The behavior and ethical values of government officials also influence how effectively services are delivered to citizens.
Public Service Quality Depends on More Than Procedures
Public service is one of the government's most important responsibilities because it directly affects citizens' daily needs. Under Indonesia's Law No. 25 of 2009 on Public Services, government institutions are responsible for providing goods, services, and administrative services to the public.
The article notes that improving service quality involves more than creating clear procedures. Citizens also encounter government through the attitudes, decisions, and responsiveness of public officials.
The researchers from Universitas Djuanda connect public administration ethics with values such as integrity, responsibility, transparency, accountability, professionalism, and fairness. When these principles become part of everyday administrative practice, public services can become more consistent, professional, and oriented toward citizens' interests.
This perspective also links ethical administration with public trust. Clear information, fair treatment, accountable decisions, and responsive service can influence how citizens perceive government institutions.
Researchers Reviewed 67 Sources
The research used a Systematic Literature Review, which means the researchers systematically collected and evaluated previous studies and policy documents rather than conducting a new survey of citizens.
The literature search covered three academic databases: Google Scholar, Scopus, and SINTA, Indonesia's national scientific database. The researchers searched for publications related to public administration ethics, Indonesian public service quality, ethics and good governance, and public administration. The publication period covered 2018 to 2026.
The selection process began with 67 articles. After duplicate records were removed, 51 sources remained. The researchers then screened the titles and abstracts and excluded 24 sources that were not sufficiently relevant to the Indonesian context. Twenty-seven full-text articles were subsequently assessed, with seven excluded because they were not peer-reviewed or were inaccessible.
The final analysis included 20 primary sources. The selection process is presented in a PRISMA-based flow diagram in the article, providing a transparent overview of how the literature was narrowed down.
The researchers then used thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns concerning ethical principles, public service quality, and good governance. They also compared information from journal articles, government regulations, and academic books to strengthen the credibility of the findings.
Six Ethical Principles Provide a Practical Framework
A central part of the article is the use of six ethical indicators proposed by public administration scholar Dwight Waldo: responsibility, dedication, loyalty, sensitivity, equality, and justice.
The researchers from Universitas Djuanda integrate these indicators with the SERVQUAL framework for service quality and the principles of good governance. This creates a broader framework for understanding how ethical behavior can influence the quality of public services.
The six indicators can be understood in practical terms:
Responsibility means officials are prepared to carry out their duties professionally and account for their decisions.
Dedication reflects a genuine commitment to serving citizens and helping resolve public needs rather than focusing primarily on personal interests.
Loyalty refers to consistent commitment to duties, institutions, rules, and the interests of the community.
Sensitivity involves the ability to recognize changing public needs and respond to complaints or problems in a timely manner.
Equality means citizens should have equal access to public services without discrimination based on social or economic background, ethnicity, religion, gender, or other personal characteristics.
Justice requires officials to consider fairness, social circumstances, and public interests when making administrative decisions.
Together, these principles provide a way to assess not only whether government services follow procedures, but also whether those services are delivered responsibly and fairly.
Service Quality Has Five Dimensions
The article also applies the SERVQUAL framework, which measures service quality through five dimensions: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy.
In simple terms, these dimensions cover the physical facilities and appearance of service personnel, the ability to provide services accurately and consistently, the speed of responding to citizens, the competence that creates confidence, and the ability to understand individual needs.
The researchers emphasize that service quality should not be judged only by how quickly a service is completed. Accessibility, accurate procedures, clear information, professional behavior, and attention to citizens' needs are also important.
The literature reviewed in the article supports this connection. For example, research on health services cited by the authors found that reliability, assurance, responsiveness, and empathy were significantly associated with public service quality in Indonesia.
Responsiveness and Digital Skills Remain Important
Among the six ethical indicators, the researchers highlight sensitivity as an area requiring continued attention, particularly as government services become increasingly digital.
The review identifies situations in which public services may be slower to respond to complaints or where available technology is not fully utilized. Technical disruptions can also create difficulties for officials and citizens using digital services.
The researchers therefore emphasize the importance of continuous training, stronger digital literacy, and responsive service systems.
At the same time, the article reports that several institutions have demonstrated positive practices in dedication, including timely completion of services, clearer information, and proactive responses to public complaints.
Ethics and Good Governance Are Closely Connected
The study's broader message is that bureaucratic reform should not focus exclusively on organizational structures, regulations, or technology.
Neng Virly Apriliyani and colleagues from Universitas Djuanda argue that ethical culture needs to develop alongside administrative reform. Integrity, transparency, accountability, responsibility, and responsiveness can help create public services that are more professional and trusted by citizens.
The researchers also connect ethical administration with good governance. A government that combines accountable systems with ethical behavior can create stronger conditions for public participation, institutional legitimacy, and constructive relations between government and society.
Their analysis suggests a straightforward relationship: stronger ethical values can support better service delivery, better services can increase public satisfaction, and greater satisfaction can contribute to stronger public trust.
Implications for Government and Citizens
The findings have practical implications for policymakers and public institutions. Ethics education and training can be strengthened as part of civil servant development. Oversight mechanisms can also be improved, while organizational cultures can be designed to reinforce integrity and professionalism.
For citizens, the potential benefits are tangible: clearer service information, more equal treatment, greater accountability, faster responses, and services that better reflect public needs.
The study also emphasizes that community participation remains important in policy development. According to the researchers, ethical decision-making requires honesty, moral responsibility, and an orientation toward the public interest, while citizen participation can help ensure that policies are fair and socially accepted.
The researchers ultimately present public administration ethics as an important foundation for improving service quality and supporting good governance in Indonesia.
Author Profile
The article was written by Neng Virly Apriliyani, Muhammad Husein Maruapey, Siti Maryanah, Maldena Zahra, Novitasari, Salsa Allysa, Aldi Nugraha Saputra, and Dian Setyawan, all affiliated with Universitas Djuanda, Bogor, Indonesia. Their work in this article focuses on public administration ethics, public service quality, civil servant professionalism, good governance, accountability, transparency, fairness, and responsiveness.
Research Source
Article Title: The Application of Public Administration Ethics in Improving the Quality of Public Services in Indonesia
Authors: Neng Virly Apriliyani, Muhammad Husein Maruapey, Siti Maryanah, Maldena Zahra, Novitasari, Salsa Allysa, Aldi Nugraha Saputra, and Dian Setyawan
Affiliation: Universitas Djuanda, Bogor, Indonesia
Journal: International Journal of Applied Research and Sustainable Sciences (IJARSS)
Publication Year: 2026
Volume: 4, No. 6
Pages: 619–630
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijarss.v4i6.30
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