The definition of ethics and levels of ethics:
In The Responsible Administrator, Terry Cooper states that public administrators make decisions daily according to a distinctive four-level process. The four levels are as follows:
The Expressive Level: At this stage a person responds to situations on a whim.
The Level of Moral Rules: This is just the beginning. The responses at this level are often built upon moral rules we have learned from friends, family, peers and experiences. Decisions on how to handle the situation are then narrowed down one by one based on what we feel is the best way to control our own personal moral bank .
The Level of Ethical Analysis: Sometimes one will run into the issue of not finding an acceptable moral to apply
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A traditional starting point is to look at what can be considered textbook definitions of efficiency. The broadest or most general meaning of efficiency as used in the public administration literature is that of technical efficiency, which concerns the ratio between resources and results, or input and output. One way or another, in all cases efficiency retains the general characteristics of input–output ratio outlined earlier, and all can be regarded as tokens of technical efficiency. The meaning of efficiency in public administration literature is almost without exception defined in terms of technical …show more content…
For the general public, the benefits of ethical rules far outweigh their costs. Both the drafting and administration of codes of ethics require a balancing of political, administrative and legal considerations. A central and pervasive concern should be to balance the desire for high ethical standards with the preservation of the individual rights of public servants. A major principle guiding the administration of a code in one Canadian government is that public servants 'should enjoy the same rights in their private dealings as any other citizen unless it can be demonstrated that a restriction is essential to the public interest. ' Similarly, the Australian draft code states that 'where personal behavior does not interfere with the proper performance of official duties, and where it does not reflect on the integrity or standing of the Service, it is of no interest or concern to the employing authority. '" Although some governments have paid little attention to the impact of codes of ethics on their employees ' rights, most governments have been sensitive to this problem. But the fact remains that a well-drafted and well-administered code does tend to diminish the rights of public servants compared to the rights enjoyed by their fellow citizens outside government. Perhaps the single greatest advantage of a code of
Margaret R.,DeCosse, David, Andre, Claire, & Hanson Markkula, Kirk O. (1988). Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Issues in Ethics, V. 1, N. 2. Sobel, Russell S. &
No decision procedure – moral decision making is too complicated to have a single criterion for decision
Our ethics and values are shaped from events and decisions dating back as far as we can remember, and in some cases even further back to times we cannot remember. Our heritage and cultural backgrounds can also play a large part in how our ethics are formed. As a society each individual fits into one of the four ethical profiles, and in many cases more than one of the profiles, what can make an individual extraordinary is the ability to learn from others that don’t share their own ethical beliefs and benefit from that shared knowledge to make themselves a better all-around individual. As the saying goes, no one is perfect, but the pursuit of perfection can be quite an experience for those that accept that challenge. Moral and ethical dilemmas will continue to arise in our lives from this moment until the moment we depart this plane of existence, it is what we do with those moments that set us apart from
In this paper I will be discussing an ethical conundrum and applying one ethical theory to
The codes of ethics are established to help, protect, and provide guidance to each individual professional on how to act in their respective profession and create an environment where ethical behavior is practiced and observed by everyone in the profession. By observing the code of ethics every member ensures that they are held to a higher standard when it comes to quality patient care and at the same time help eliminate bad actors in the profession. For example, every physician is held to a code of “do no harm” when it comes to patient care and every physician or medical student are required to follow this
Sterling, P. (2014, January 8). Efficiency vs. Effectiveness. Retrieved from American Public Works Association: http://www.lcnetwork.co.uk/effectiveness-doing-the-right-things/
The term “ethics” refers to an external set of rules that have been established by an institution or organization, for example, a university, and the members are expected to follow them. On the other hand, integrity refers to an individuals’ internal set of principles that guides their actions and behavior (Czimbal and Brooks n.p.). As a rule, people are usually rewarded when they follow ethical codes of conduct by an external committee or board that monitors their behavior. For a person of high integrity, the benefits are usually intrinsic. Moreover, such individuals always make the right decisions even when they are not being watched. Therefore, this feature of character is often influenced by a person’s upbringing. In
In order to arrive at a sound solution for ethical issues requires critical thinking and analysis. Marian Mattison, (2000) summarized:
In this assignment we will be identifying an ethical dilemma an individual has experienced. We will begin with a short introduction of what an ethical dilemma is, moving on to providing brief details of the dilemma an individual has experienced. We will then go on to selecting one ethical theory, to show how it can help an individual understand and deal with the situation when placed within, followed by a conclusion.
Despite these criticisms, the reforms in public administration have had a widespread impact across this country and around the world. The principles underlying these reforms have enhanced government performance and accountability, public administration has employed various strategies to streamline management and enhance pubic service. It is important to keep in mind that while there may be significant improvement in productivity as a result of technological advances or reform, the most meaningful long-term gains will come about as a result of attention to the humans side of the organization. Successful public administration demands a successful balance between the concerns of the technical side of the agency and paying attention to people.
Pfiffner, J. P. (2004). Traditional Public Administration versus The New Public Management:Accountability versus Efficiency. Unied States: George Mason University.
EFFICIENCY: This simply means making the most out of available resources. Thus in public administration it could be the provision ...
We pass on our moral customs by the way we treat people who we think have behaved well or badly, or, perhaps more often, the way we talk about them behind their backs. We try to be like people who are liked and we try to avoid being like people who are looked down upon.
3. Allow for the fact that ethical questions do not always have a unique, faultless answer.
Since its emergence as a field of study, there have been some important contributions to public administration. Its goal has always been to improve productivity which then improves workplace performance. All of the contributions have been aimed at completing the work with the highest level of efficiency and at the lowest cost.