ethical-concerns-in-public-administration

UNIT 21: ETHICAL CONCERNS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Structure

  • 21.0 Learning Outcome

  • 21.1 Introduction

  • 21.2 Ethics: Meaning and Relevance

  • 21.3 Evolution of Ethical Concerns in Administration

  • 21.4 Context of Ethics and its Significance for Public Administration

  • 21.5 Issue of Ethics: Foci and Concerns

  • 21.6 Pertinence of a Code of Administrative Ethics

  • 21.7 Nature of Work Ethics

  • 21.8 Towards New Dimensions of Ethics

  • 21.9 Obstacles to Ethical Accountability

  • 21.10 Future Perspective

  • 21.11 Conclusion

  • 21.12 Key Concepts

  • 21.13 References and Further Reading

  • 21.14 Activities

21.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

After reading this Unit, you will be able to:

  • Discuss the meaning of the term ‘ethics’

  • Understand the evolution and context of ethics and relate it to public administration

  • Analyze foci and concerns regarding ethical issues in governance

  • Understand the nature of work ethics and the necessity for a Code of Ethics

  • Analyze the obstacles to ethical accountability

21.1 INTRODUCTION

  • Definition of Ethics: A complex term that encompasses morals, values, and the responsible actions of public administrators.

  • Importance of ethics: Integral to public administration, guiding actions and decisions against the backdrop of accountability.

  • Ethical Milieu: Determined by diverse societal contexts including social, economic, political, cultural, and historical factors.

21.2 ETHICS: MEANING AND RELEVANCE

  • Ethics as a System of Beliefs: Influences human behavior and considers what is morally right or wrong.

  • Historical Context: Found in Indian scriptures (e.g., Ramayana, Mahabharata) and philosophies from both Eastern (e.g., Chinese philosophers) and Western traditions (e.g., Aristotle, Kant, Utilitarianism).

  • Rawl's Theory of Justice: Centered on liberty and social/economic equality, establishing a moral framework for governance.

21.3 EVOLUTION OF ETHICAL CONCERNS IN ADMINISTRATION

  • Influences: Early Political Science and Management shaped Public Administration, emphasizing ethics.

  • Transition from moral philosophy to a more empirical and scientific approach, emphasizing knowledge and institutional integrity.

  • Behaviouralism Impact: Initially marginalized ethical issues, later re-integrated with New Public Administration focusing on ethics and values.

21.4 CONTEXT OF ETHICS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

  • Historical context influences governance ethics; cases from USA’s Spoils System and India’s various historical governance issues.

  • Ethical Constructs: Include values like justice and responsibility, observable in bureaucratic behaviors across nations.

21.5 ISSUE OF ETHICS: FOCI AND CONCERNS

  • Ethical Obligation of Admin Systems: Hold responsibilities not only for internal probity, but also for fostering societal morality.

  • Crucial Values in Ethics: Justice, fairness, objectivity, with a need for transparency and integrity in governance practices.

21.6 PERTINENCE OF CODE OF ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS

  • Historical development of ethics in public administration, exemplified by the U.S. Congress and various state codes.

  • Introduction of systematic ethical training and administration in programs, vital for developing moral standards.

21.7 NATURE OF WORK ETHICS

  • Definition: Commitment to responsibilities with dedication and efficiency.

  • Discussion of the disparity between public and private sector work ethics and implications for governance efficacy.

  • Suggestions for improvement: Performance standards, motivation, and leadership modeling ethical conduct.

21.8 TOWARDS NEW DIMENSIONS OF ETHICS

  • Legislative Necessity: Implementation of transparency and accountability through laws and citizen engagement.

  • Need for ethical training and support systems that encourage moral behavior and whistleblower protections.

21.9 OBSTACLES TO ETHICAL ACCOUNTABILITY

  • Interrelatedness of Ethics and Accountability: Mechanisms in place to uphold ethical standards, yet several intrinsic challenges like expertise disparity and bureaucratic expansion hinder effective oversight.

  • Corruption: A systemic issue where public trust is breached, highlighted across various cultures.

21.10 FUTURE PERSPECTIVE

  • Likely evolution of ethical frameworks in public administration in alignment with global standards of governance.

  • Emphasis on ethical citizenship and administrative morality in transformed governance systems.

21.11 CONCLUSION

  • Ethics encompasses broad facets of public administration, requiring continuous reform and adherence to moral conduct, underscoring the urgency of establishing robust ethical codes.

21.12 KEY CONCEPTS

  • Bureaupathologies: Negative traits in bureaucratic systems, including inefficiency and corruption.

  • Logical Positivism: Narrow philosophical perspective focusing on empirical validation.

  • Utilitarianism: Ethical philosophy aimed at maximizing happiness for the largest number.

21.13 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READINGS

  • Extensive literature including reports, comparative ethics studies, and key publications focusing on public administration ethics.

21.14 ACTIVITIES

  1. Analyze recent articles on ethics in public administration.

  2. Reflect on shifting norms of ethics in public organizations based on personal observations.