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Primary Ethical Responsibilities Of Public Administrators

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Primary Ethical Responsibilities of Public Administrators Public administrators have a greater than responsibility than most, as their actions have consequences that may affect the general public. I would suggest that the primary ethical values public administrators should possess are respect, trustworthiness, and fairness. Public administrators are charged with implementing policies and practices, as decided through the democratic process. They are charged with a tremendous responsibility of being the operational wing of government. Firstly, respect is key; public administrators cannot serve the public well if they do not possess a respect for the public. Ensuring the dignity of any citizen receiving a good or service is essential to the duties of a public administrator. This ties with trustworthiness, as people will only hold the government in high regard if they view it as trustworthy. Public administrators are key to this process as the public may view the one administrator they encounter as “the government”; the public often assigns an image of a government entity based on any treatment they personally received. This is why fairness is also an integral value public administrators need to possess. The public needs to understand that they are equal, and that everyone possesses the same rights and privileges. All of these ethical values can hinder or enhance the image and perception of government, and often people equate perception with reality, so they become even more

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