Rereading the Mathnawi of Mawlana Jalal Al Din Rumi from the standpoint of ethics management in the public sector

Abstract

It is widely believed that a virtuous state always commits to uphold and consistently implement ethical values. If ethics cannot be maintained in the public sector, it would drive unethical behaviors of public officials that ultimately damage the public reputation and cause nepotism, irregularities, waste of public resources, loss of lives and properties, etc. Meanwhile, implementing ethical values into practice for public sector management requires a systematical approach and policies. Since the culture of a nation also influences people's behaviors, thus the role of cultural values should be considered in the management of ethical values in the public sector. This study examines the masterpiece work of Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi, The Mathnawi, as an example of a cultural resource. This study has two main purposes: Firstly, it aims to raise awareness about the advice of Mawlana Jalaleddin Rumi regarding the essentials of ethical management in the public sector through Mathnawi. The second aim is to encourage readers to analyze and evaluate their own cultural resources to understand and implement the ethical management philosophies they envisage through a systematic perspective. This study argues that the core elements of Mathnawi with supporting local cultural values can play a crucial role in strengthening the practice of ethical management in public sector organizations. Therefore, it can be said that Mathnawi includes advice regarding the key essentials of ethics management.