PAD3003 Week 4 Ethics Quiz Study Guide Chapter 11 Ethics and Public Administration What are Ethics o Grounded in Greek tradition represented by teleological and deontological theories Teleological the consequence of actions are the most critical factor in determining whether an action should be pursued Teleological theories stress the importance of maximizing what is good Deontological that which is binding stresses motives intentions as opposed to consequence as the critical factor in making decisions Lower order rules govern the means that are essential for the higher order o Ethics according to French and Granrose 95 rules that concern the ends to be achieved is a set of normative guidelines directed at resolving conflicts of interest so as to enhance societal well being Ch 11 branch of philosophy concerned with the systematic thought about character morals and right action Adams and Balfour o Administrative Ethics according to Thompson 85 Administrative Ethics emphasizes two things A The rights and duties that individuals should respect when they act in ways that seriously affect the well being of other individuals and society B The conditions that collective practices policies should satisfy when they similarly affect the well being of individuals and society Pinpointing all the factors that bring about reinforce unethical conduct at the individual and organizational levels is difficult o Ethics Bottorff 97 Described ethics as a body of principles or standards of human conduct that govern Is the study of Ethics a science the behavior of individuals and groups Ethics is a branch of philosophy and is considered a normative science because it is concerned with the norms of human conduct The study of ethics has contributed to the advancement of knowledge science which continues to makes ethics a relevant and vital aspect of management theory Unethical Behaviors Is Unethical behavior the result of individual or organizational factors Examples of Ethical dilemmas in Administrative setting Administrative scandals are more important than Political ones b c they involve greater Both implications for citizens Ex Atlanta School board administrators acted unethically not individual action it was an organizational decision May result from individual and organizational factors and as result of personal values or personality traits Organizations most times place no importance on whether goals objectives are meet ethically w out clear ethical standards w in an organizational structure unethical conduct may actually be encouraged o Ends Justify the Means Philosophy A philosophy which rewards getting the job done regardless of the potential consequences is often referred to as Machiavellianism Machiavellianism est by Italian diplomat Niccolo Machiavelli provided recommendations of how rulers can gain maintain power o friendships that are obtained by payments and not by greatness or nobility of the mind may indeed be earned but they are secured and in times of need cannot be relied upon o Love is broken at every opportunity for their advantage but fear preserves by dread of punishment which never fails Bureaucracy and Ethics o It is suggested that public employees are often forced to choose between obeying policy and serving the needs of clients Ethical Dilemma not being able to afford college but not qualifying for assistance o Even though Bureaucracy is an essential part of any organization no one wants to be thought as a Bureaucrat o Weber created the bureaucratic model which was characterized by formal rules and regulations specialized roles a hierarchal structure and a chain of command Central to Bureaucracy is consistency in terms of actions and behaviors Weber Failed to realize that the dynamics of bureaucracy itself brought about unintended consequences resulting from personal interest o Position Based on Merit Eugene Litwak 61 w in a bureaucracy an individuals job position is based on merit individual authority and responsibility is dictated by and individuals job description and there is a clear separation between ones personal life and ones work life o Bureaucracies Centralized and Hierarchal Power Base This characteristic has helped create opportunities for unethical behavior With power held in the hands of so few the discretion of rank and file and middle level bureaucrats is severely limited The result is that bureaucrats tend to follow authority blindly regardless of This tendency underscores the importance of est adhering to administrative ethical any ethical dilemmas standards The Need for Administrative Ethics o Decisions based on convenience and efficiency means to an end or on the basis of economics may be at the heart of unethical behavior o Commonly agreed upon is that administrators have numerous roles sets of values which are sources for the decisions they make such as focusing on Legal issues Organizational Issues Personal interest NOT Agreed upon is often the case when one tries to identify and name which roles or sets of values are crucial for public administrators o A common challenge for public employees is balancing diverse and competing demands A public employee must be able to work w in a framework of 3 goals 1st Loyalty to the organization 2nd Responsiveness to the needs of the public 3rd Consideration for the employees own objectives and desires These goals provide and environment that is rich in ethical dilemmas The organizational structure under which public employees currently operate under creates bases for ethical dilemmas o Public Employees are often forced to choose between Obeying policy and Serving the needs of clients Ex Higher education for students of working families who can not afford tuition but do not qualify for tuition aid o Employees who work for agencies with incompatible policies are often placed in an uncomfortable position of trying to uphold policy to the detriment of the very people the agency is attempting to serve By choosing to serve the needs of the client the employees violate organizational policies and put themselves at risk Until these polices are reviewed and changed choosing the interest of the client instead of your own interest may be the most ethical action available A Potential cure for corruption may lie in organizational code of ethics o Oaths Pledges and Codes Within Ethical Conduct All three of these principles often underscore the importance of Duty Service Honor Fairness Public Officials are sworn in under oath
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