Forms of Unethical Conduct from Public Administrators

HEADER: PAD709 BOOK REVIEW 1 Book Review Maynard-Moody, S., & Musheno, M. (2009). Cops, Teachers, Counselors: Stories from the front lines of public service. Riccucci, N. (2005). How management matters: Street-level bureaucrats and welfare reform. Key Findings

Leaders in the public sector are expected to maintain a level of morality and integrity which serves the interests of society, while at the same time demonstrates personal responsibility, diplomacy, and truthfulness. Therefore, when attempting to arrive at appropriate ethical decisions, public administrators must possess the capacity to exercise moral imagination. However, moral imagination is not enough. Responsible administration in the public sector also requires acting based on the “right”

The roll of ethics in public administration is based on the administration; administrators should be value-free when they implement public policy. I will discuss why ethics should be based on the administration and, why it should not be based on each individual worker in the administration. I will discuss Weber’s stance on values in bureaucratic organizations, what Macintyre suggests, and what Hummel and Goodsell would conclude about values in public administration. Most people do not understand what an administration deals with everyday on an individual basis. They might think that an administration is supposed to make the best ethical choices, but that is not the case. People who are outside the administration might think that administrators are supposed to use everyday values when implementing policy, but that is also not the case.

In comparing the work between government and private sectors, Smith discovered EOs in corporate settings are primarily concerned with overseeing the ethical conduct of all employees within the organization which expands cases involving waste, abuse, fraud and poor management. In examining the role of EOs in public service, Smith resolved the research to be very challenging due to the various roles and responsibilities, lack of uniformity in job descriptions, and the inconsistencies in the diverse layers of government. (Smith, 2003). The availability of research on the definitive roles of EOs in the private sector enabled him to identify the commonality of the functions and characteristics of EOs in both cultures. (Smith,

in politics, and even individuals in administration, are destined to get “dirty hands.” The concept implicates that individuals who interact in either of these realms cannot help but engage in conduct that is either unethical or, at the very least, less than desirable. Although, many researchers acknowledge that there does exist separate meaning between the roles of political constituents and administrative staff, many believe there are also plenty of similarities. In examining the political/administrative dichotomy, researchers have found extreme overlap in some instances, which emphasizes the probability that administrative staff can also find themselves with dirty hands. Many argue that it is absolutely necessary, in some instances, for individuals to act deceptively with a lack of transparency in order to reach ultimate goals with desirable ends. These ends might include advancing the bigger goals of the organization or preventing the fall of the organization as a whole. However, the

Setting higher standards for those persons in positions of authority and power over the public establishes a prescribed set of standards for which the public expects to be upheld if authorities are to successfully exude their power and authority over the people. Williams and Arrigo state “Along with power comes an increased responsibility to use it in appropriate ways” (2012). As can be seen in current events, when officials abuse the authority by excessive use of force, kickbacks, or unethical or immoral behavior, the public loses trust and respect for the system as a whole, not just for the individual or individuals in question. An expectation of increased morality and value is expected in persons holding positions where the enforcement of laws, societal values and morals are rendered. Williams and Arrigo further state “…with the presence of increased power, discretion, and thus opportunity, the need for morality increases considerably”

The lesson public administrators should gain from reading this book is the deceitfulness that exist today. Much like Dr. Clark, many individuals who are so aggressive at achieving their goals, will stop at nothing to be successful in achieving those goals. Public Administrators should pay close attention to the tasks they are involved in, and always remember to "step back" and look at the "big picture." These lessons learned are very important, especially in today's societal values of the fair and equal treatment of mankind. With the rise of the human rights activist, and even the animal rights activist, society is now closely looking at the moral and ethical ways "we" treat each other.

Internal control is one of the integral parts of an organization. It is a system which controls different types of risks,

The case of the State Alcohol Board Inspector shows how mixing position, charitable solicitation, and the slippery slope of perception can blur the line of professional ethics.This example provides a cautionary tale of public servants, administrators and using their influence implicitly. There is a potential ethical conflict of interest when Mary is attempting to save time. Is her decision to drop off invitations to a local animal shelter gala, and solicit contributions, while performing her duties as an inspector ethically wrong? Is this outside the realm of her responsibilities and obligations as an inspector? As her manager, do I have the right to be uncomfortable ethically as I witness what Mary is doing? These are some of the questions; public administrators have to be aware of in the ethical decision-making process. Granted, this is not a case of “administrative evil” that Kennedy warns about in American Public Service (Kennedy, 2011). However, this case serves to point out how ignored ethical

(TCO 5) Internal Controls are required to safeguard assets and to ensure ethical business practices. (1) Identify and explain the reason for any two of the five components of internal control (10 points) and (2) provide examples of how your two selected components of internal control will meet the goal of safeguarding assets and promoting ethical business

Cooper, T. L. (2012). The responsible administrator: An approach to ethics for the administrative role (6th ed.). New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.

So what are internal controls? And why are they so important? Internal controls describe the policies, plans, and procedures

Behaviors- As an administrator, you must use good judgment. Adapt your behavior to each situation, but expect that conflicts will arise between different expectations in the code of ethics. These gray areas that require you to make a judgment call. Other expectations for administrative behavior are clear. You shouldn’t

It is one thing to establish a code of ethical conduct for an organization in the public sector, but it is quite another to really impress upon all employees the importance of living up to that code of conduct. What makes a code of conduct and how can management be assured that all employees understand the code and follow it's values and guidelines? How do not-for-profit professions stack up against for-profit professionals when it comes to ethics? This paper delves into codes of conduct in the public and sector and provides a review of several scholarly articles that present specific instances where codes of conduct are part of the workplace culture.