ethics essay
Alexsi
EthicsinpublicadministrationChapters3and4.pptxChapters 3 and 4
Ethics in public administration
1
The context of Administration
Modern heritage of PA in conflict with postmodern world.
“modern:” social, cultural, economic attributes associated with western urban industrialized society
Bureaucracy
Technology
“postmodern:” finality and absolutism discredited
2
postmodernism
Integration vs. disintegration
Centralization vs. decentralization
Totalization vs. fragmentation
Melting pot vs. salad
Commensurable vs. incommensurable
Universalism vs. relativism
3
How deal with normlessness?
Values, beliefs, norms crafted through discourse and deliberation.
Inclusive conversation about how to create order and meaning in our lives together.
Some values persist, some undergo modification.
Public aspects agreed upon.
Private aspects provide diversity.
4
Comingling of work and private life
Before, no separation.
Separation created separate ethical approaches.
Knowledge society has blurred lines again.
“Up in the Air” with George Clooney
Roles influence one another
Office connectedness no longer influences common standards
5
Relativity
Roles are acquired and given up, no longer lifelong or stable.
Beliefs and values differ; this can erode sense of obligation and duty.
Intentional construction of ethical norms more crucial than ever.
Is there a universal norm?
6
Pluralization
Foundation for loss of assumptions (science not enough), multiplicity of roles and many “selves,” work-life commingling, relativism.
Multiplicity of “publics.”
Treat the same (voting rights, employment)
Treat differently (ADA, affirmative action)
7
Implications for PA: Politics Intrudes
Political nature of PA—conflict of roles, goals require political activity
Ethical concerns: corruption, inefficiency, abuse of power
Agency-party
Agency-agency
Agency-government branch
Agency-interest group
8
Implications for PA: Separation of Citizen/PA Roles
As Citizen:
Citizenship ideal: participate in decisions and consider the opinions and wishes of others
Overreaction to small matters can be harmful
Graham: “be informed, be fair, be rational, be reasonable.”
As Administrator
Engage citizens in constructing a social order, rather than force authoritatively.
Honor fiduciary responsible to the citizens
9
Implications for PA: Managers of Diversity
Participation costs and consumption costs must be taken into account.
Sections of the citizenry must not be left out because of these costs.
Standardization is not necessarily equity.
An array of services and delivery means is required.
10
Politics, ethics, and the Administrator
Representation:
Delegate or Trustee?
Education: opinion knowledge judgment
Teach/learn from politicians
Teach/learn from public
Implementation
Delegate or Trustee?
At which step in the process?
11
CHAPTER FOUR: Administrative Responsibility
Objective Responsibility—legal, organizational, societal roots
Whom responsible to?
Organizational Superiors for support and for subordinates’ conduct and performance
Elected officials (obligations to them supercedes obligation to organizational superiors)
Citizenry for discerning interests, preferences (the least proximate and most fundamental)
12
Responsibility to elected officials for upholding the law
Objective responsibility derives from the decisions of others as you accept role.
Laws governing the organization and your conduct are seen as will of the people.
“Love the park” can lead to irresponsibility.
13
Responsibility to superiors and for subordinates
Through hierarchy, law intent is concretized into programs and services.
Personal desires are subjugated to chain of command presumably reflects will of citizenry.
If responsibility and authority are not both present, it goes up the chain.
Need for consultation and information sharing keeps it fluid.
Not deciding when both are present is irresponsible.
14
Quotable quotes
Function of an administrator “to complicate the lives of his political masters at least to the extent of assuring that they did not resolve complex issues of the basis of disingenuously simple criteria.” Appleby as quoted by Egger (1965)
Public Interest: “what men would choose if they saw clearly, thought rationally, acted disinterestedly and benevolently.” Walter Lippmann (1922)
15
Responsibility to the citizenry
“Public Interest” a confusing and confounding phrase.
Give it lip service only?
Consider it a balancing act of special interests?
John Rawls (1971): reflect on the phrase from the “original position”—without consideration for one’s own social class, natural assets or abilities, or even the political and economic characteristics of our society.
16
Subjective Responsibility
Rooted in our own beliefs about loyalty, conscience, identification
Attitudes, values, beliefs are the source.
When we internalize the external responsibilities of our role, we guide our behavior more by subjective responsibility.
When internal code not informed by outside professionalism, deviant behavior can occur.
Conscious and deliberate development of an internal code is critical.
17
Rokeach (1970)
18
Attitudes, Values, and Beliefs
Attitudes are formed by a combination of beliefs
Underneath the beliefs are values, which motivate you to take action
These are called “sources of subjective responsibility,” and may be rooted in one or more of our other roles, such as parent, ASPA member, and such.
19
Codes
Barnard writes of groups of values and principles which he calls “codes.”
These codes are connected to roles.
Role components:
Objective role components = external obligations
Subjective role components = inner code
When inner code not influenced by a professional community it can produce deviant behavior
When our conduct matches our inner code, we are responsible, when it doesn’t, we are irresponsible.
20
Integrity
Integrity is a state of “wholeness.”
It involves “moral judgment, creativity, and intuitive capability, as well as rational-analytic powers.” Srivastva and Cooperrider, (1988)
Subjective responsibility provides a “corrective” ethical force to the administrative process.
Conscious and systematic development of subjective responsibility is essential for carrying out objective responsibility.
21
Case Study: Mrs. Carmichael
Questions to ask:
What are the facts concerning your objective responsibility?
What are your own assumptions and conclusions about the situation?
What needs clarifying?
What are your own personal attitudes, beliefs and values regarding this situation?
22
