DQ 6-2

DQ 6

-

2 responses

1.

One

of

the

situations

that

would

be

prime

for

a

public

administrator

to

make

an

unethical

decision

would

be

in

a

situation

where

someone

higher

up

the

food

chain,

for

instance

a

member

of

the

County

Board

of

Supervisors,

makes

a

decision

to

award

funding

t

o

a

“pet”

project,

without

going

through

the

normal

procurement

process,

or

letting

the

other

BOS

members

know

about

it,

and

then

comes

to

their

favorite

public

administrator

to

make

it

happen.

They

might

justify

the

request

by

stating

that

it

is

to

avoid

a

crisis

or

to

assist

a

certain

segment

of

their

constituency

that

is

being

under

-

represented

.

This

might

be

an

example

of

strategic

ambiguity,

which

is

when

“communicators

are

deliberately

vague

(and)…leaves

the

door

open

for

the

group

to

choose

a

variety

of

possible

strategies

(but)…if

challenged

the

leader

can

claim

that

she

or

he

never

made

a

specific

commitment

to

particular

stakeholder

groups.”

(Johnson,

2013)

In

this

instance,

the

public

administrator

would

be

put

in

the

sticky

situation

of

either

gi

ving

the

Board

member

what

they

want,

while

knowingly

circumventing

the

rules,

or

not

giving

them

what

they

want,

and

running

the

risk

of

making

an

enemy

of

the

person,

which

could

adversely

affect

their

future

career,

due

to

the

Board

members

influence

on

appointed

positions

.

Johnson,

C.

E.

(2013).

Meeting

the

ethical

challenges

of

leadership:

Casting

light

or

shadow.

Retrieved

from

http://gcumedia.com/digital

-

resources/sage/2013/meeting

-

the

-

ethical

-

challenges

-

of

-

leadership_ebook_5e.php

2.

There are various examples one can utilize to demonstrate some public administrators making

unethical decisions due to influence. One exampl

e I can use is pharmaceutical companies bribing

public administrators globally, in order to influence policy making. According to Lusher (2016)

“Big Pharma’s financial muscle, the report claimed, allowed it to spend millions every year on

political lobbyin

g: Pharmaceutical companies can unduly influence national political systems

through their large spending power.” Pharmaceutical companies have the resources, to make sure

some public administrators ignore drug pricing. Some political officials may receive

funding for

their campaigns and in collateral make agreements with these pharmaceutical companies, to

make sure they are not affected by policy making. As public administrators, one will be

challenged daily in regards to maintaining an ethical approach to

situations. According to

American Society for Public Administration (n.d.) “Demonstrate personal integrity: Adhere to

the highest standards of conduct to inspire public confidence and trust in public service. One is in

this profession to maintain the highe

st standards of conduct to benefit constituents therefore one

will face ethical challenges daily. As an administrator one must remember the purpose of public

service is to serve people and one is there to represent the best of their interest. One will be

c

hallenged daily with ethical decision making but as professionals one must abide by the code of

ethics.

Reference:

DQ 6-2 responses

1.

One of the situations that would be prime for a public administrator to make an unethical

decision would be in a situation where someone higher up the food chain, for instance a member

of the County Board of Supervisors, makes a decision to award funding to a “pet” project,

without going through the normal procurement process, or letting the other BOS members know

about it, and then comes to their favorite public administrator to make it happen. They might

justify the request by stating that it is to avoid a crisis or to assist a certain segment of their

constituency that is being under-represented.

This might be an example of strategic ambiguity, which is when “communicators are deliberately

vague (and)…leaves the door open for the group to choose a variety of possible strategies

(but)…if challenged the leader can claim that she or he never made a specific commitment to

particular stakeholder groups.” (Johnson, 2013) In this instance, the public administrator would

be put in the sticky situation of either giving the Board member what they want, while

knowingly circumventing the rules, or not giving them what they want, and running the risk of

making an enemy of the person, which could adversely affect their future career, due to the

Board members influence on appointed positions.

Johnson, C. E. (2013). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow.

Retrieved from http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/sage/2013/meeting-the-ethical-challenges-

of-leadership_ebook_5e.php

2.

There are various examples one can utilize to demonstrate some public administrators making

unethical decisions due to influence. One example I can use is pharmaceutical companies bribing

public administrators globally, in order to influence policy making. According to Lusher (2016)

“Big Pharma’s financial muscle, the report claimed, allowed it to spend millions every year on

political lobbying: Pharmaceutical companies can unduly influence national political systems

through their large spending power.” Pharmaceutical companies have the resources, to make sure

some public administrators ignore drug pricing. Some political officials may receive funding for

their campaigns and in collateral make agreements with these pharmaceutical companies, to

make sure they are not affected by policy making. As public administrators, one will be

challenged daily in regards to maintaining an ethical approach to situations. According to

American Society for Public Administration (n.d.) “Demonstrate personal integrity: Adhere to

the highest standards of conduct to inspire public confidence and trust in public service. One is in

this profession to maintain the highest standards of conduct to benefit constituents therefore one

will face ethical challenges daily. As an administrator one must remember the purpose of public

service is to serve people and one is there to represent the best of their interest. One will be

challenged daily with ethical decision making but as professionals one must abide by the code of

ethics.

Reference: