THE INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUAL AND SITUATIONAL FACTORS ON LOWER-LEVEL CIVIL SERVANTS’ WHISTLE-BLOWING INTENTION IN INDONESIA

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine empirically the influence of individual and situational factors on the whistle-blowing intentions among lower-level civil servants in Indonesia. This research proposes a conceptual model where individual and situational factors influence the whistle-blowing intention among lower-level civil servants. More precisely this study used three variables as individual factors based on the theory of planned behaviour (the attitude toward whistle-blowing, the subjective norm, and the perceived behavioural control). Two vignettes were used to manipulate three situational factors (the seriousness of wrongdoing, the status of the wrongdoer, and the personal cost of reporting). A survey questionnaire was distributed to 106 civil servants from government institutions in Indonesia by using convenience sampling. There are six hypotheses that were tested by using multiple regression analysis. This research found that individual and situational factors successfully predicted a whistleblowing intention. Specifically, research results indicate there are five antecedents of whistleblowing intention among lower-level civil servants in Indonesia labelled: the attitude toward whistle-blowing, the subjective norm, the perceived behavioural control, the seriousness of wrongdoing, and the status of the wrongdoer. Further implications for practice and research are also discussed. Keywords: whistle-blowing intention, lower-level civil servants, theory of planned behaviour, individual factors, situational factors.