OPERATIONALIZING ANTI-CORRUPTION REFORMS: THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN SRI LANKAN ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

The enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 marks a significant move in Sri Lankan governance framework, introducing a comprehensive, prevention-oriented legal regime aligned with international anti-corruption standards. Though existing research studies have largely focused on the legal and institutional dimensions of anti-corruption reforms, limited attention has been given to their Human Resource Management (HRM) implications. Bridging this lacuna, the current study examines how HRM practices in Sri Lankan organizations are likely to be reconfigured in response to the new Anti-Corruption reforms. The study employs a directed qualitative content analysis of the Anti-Corruption Act, interpreted through established theories of strategic HRM. The analysis identifies key statutory provisions related to transparency, accountability, ethical conduct, discipline administration, and whistleblower protection that systematically maps onto core HRM domains. The findings reveal that the Act implicitly mandates a shift toward integrity-oriented HRM systems. Further, the study conceptualizes HRM as a critical mediating mechanism through which legal anti-corruption mandates are translated into professional & institutional integrity.