ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS

UNIT 15
I ANSWER THE FOLLOWING
QUESTIONS:

• 1. How would you define ethics?

• 2. What is the relationship between law and morality?
• 3. Why are moral principles particularly important for civil
servants?
• 4. Have views on morality changed significantly in recent
years?
 PART ONE
DEFINITIONS, VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF
ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS: PREVIEW

• Ethics
• Public administration ethics
• Code of ethics
• Qualities of civil servants
• Code of Ethics of the American Society for Public
Administration
ETHICS

• A branch of philosophy which seeks to address questions

about morality
• The rules that define moral conduct according to the
ideology of a specific group.
• It is concerned with what is good for individuals and society.
ETHICS

• Well-based standards of right and wrong that prescribe what

people ought to do, usually in terms of duties, principles,
specific virtues, or benefits to society.
ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS

• For persons who work in government and non-profit

organizations, duty has a special importance.
• They must serve the public, fulfil the expectations of
public office, and be trustees of public resources.
• These are the actions required by their occupation or role
independent of—but reinforced by—other ethical
considerations.
ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS

• Administrative ethics - rooted in duty: persons who seek

positions in government or non-profit organizations (or who
pursue educational programmes to prepare themselves for
such positions) are commonly motivated by a sense of duty
to serve: public service motivation.
• They wish to help others, to benefit society, or to serve the
public interest.
THE PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION

• The public service motivation:

• “attraction to policy making” and the political process;
• “commitment to the public interest/civic duty,” e.g., doing
“what is best for the whole community”;
• “compassion” and “self-sacrifice”: a commitment to work “for
a cause bigger than myself” or being “prepared to make
sacrifices for the good of society”.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS GUIDED BY DUTY:

• Interactions with:
• the public,
organization of which one is a part, and
• political superiors
KEY REQUIREMENTS OF ADMINISTRATIVE
ETHICS

• Public administrators should not:

• lie,
• withhold information, or
• put their own interests above serving the public.
ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS

• They should be accountable to their superiors and to the

public.
• Without even considering ethical theories or philosophy, it is
possible to elaborate an extensive list of standards of right
and wrong that prescribe what public servants ought to do
based on a sense of duty.
ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS

• Duty-based ethics - related to many important aspects of

public service work. This is the kind of ethical reasoning that
students in public administration and persons entering public
service start with.
CODE OF ETHICS

• Standards of professionalism that co-workers in the public

sector can expect from each other — and the public can also
expect the same from their leaders.
• With a strong code of ethics in public administration, leaders
have the guidelines they need to carry out their tasks and
inspire their employees to enforce laws in a professional and
equitable manner.
QUALITIES OF CIVIL SERVANTS

• Civil servants should be honest, independent, competent, and

committed to doing their best, and they should demonstrate
integrity: virtues.
• They should treat all persons fairly and equally, observe the law,
and follow the direction set by their leaders and their organizations:
principles.
• They should try to achieve the greatest good for the most people: a
beneficial consequence.
ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS

• The other dimensions of administrative ethics based on the

philosophical traditions of virtue, principle, and consequences
are integrally linked to conceptions of duty.
• These reflect common patterns of ethical thinking.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY

• Administrative ethics provides accountability between the

public and the administration.
• Adhering to a code of ethics ensures that the public receives
what it needs in a fair manner.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY

• Administrative ethics also gives the administration guidelines

for integrity in their operations.
• Integrity helps foster the trust of the community.
• By creating the atmosphere of trust, the administration helps
the public understand that they are working with their best
interests in mind.
TRANSPARENCY

• Another positive outcome of administrative ethics: timely and

informative communication with the community.
• This kind of transparency builds trust and prevents or
minimizes the potential issues that can arise when
information is divulged from outside sources.
TRANSPARENCY

• If there is something important that the public needs to know

about, it is better for it to come directly from the leaders and
administration.
• Communication keeps all parties informed so that they can
all work toward a common goal.
• Good communication ensures that the community can
engage their leaders on important issues.
II. READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE
FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

• 1. How can ethics be defined?

• 2. What is ethics concerned with?
• 3. What is administrative ethics?
• 4. What kind of standards does a code of ethics create?
• 5. What are the positive outcomes of good ethics in public administration?
• 6. What does good communication between the public administration and
the public ensure?
III COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS
WITH INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT.

• Administrative ethics is rooted in _______________________.

• Civil servants are motivated by a sense of duty to serve, sometimes called
_____________________
Ethics gives the administration guidelines ______________________________________.
• A code of ethics creates standards of _________________________________________.
• Timely and informative communication with the community prevents
_______________.
• Good communication between the public administration and the public ensures
________________.
KEY

• Administrative ethics is rooted in duty.

• Civil servants are motivated by a sense of duty to serve, sometimes called the
public service motivation.
• Ethics gives the administration guidelines for integrity in their operations.
• A code of ethics creates standards of professionalism.
• Timely and informative communication with the community prevents the potential
issues that can arise when information is divulged from outside sources.
• Good communication between the public administration and the public ensures
trust.
COMPLETE THE PHRASES WITH: ADDRESS,
APPLY, PROVIDE, INSPIRE, GIVE,
ENFORCE, DEFINE, CREATE
• 1. to ____________ questions about morality
• 2. to ____________ moral principles
• 3. to ____________ accountability
• 4. to ____________ moral conduct
• 5. to ____________ employees
• 6. to ____________ standards of professionalism
• 7. to ____________ guidelines
• 8. to ____________ laws
ADDRESS APPLY PROVIDE INSPIRE
GIVE ENFORCE DEFINE
CREATE

• 1. to address questions about morality

• 2. to apply moral principles
• 3. to provide accountability
• 4. to define moral conduct
• 5. to inspire employees
• 6. to create standards of professionalism
• 7. to give guidelines
• 8. to enforce laws
 PART TWO
THE CODE OF ETHICS OF THE AMERICAN
SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

• 1. According to you, what should a code of ethics for public

administration contain?
• 2. In your opinion, what are the most important ethical
principles for public administration?
THE CODE OF ETHICS OF THE AMERICAN
SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

• The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) advances the

science, art, and practice of public administration. The ASPA Code of
Ethics was revised in 2013 and the Ethics and Standards Implementation
Committee (Ethics Committee) was established in 2014.  The Society
affirms its responsibility to develop the spirit of responsible
professionalism within its membership and to increase awareness and
commitment to ethical principles and standards among all those
who work in public service in all sectors. To this end, the members of the
Society commit themselves to uphold the following principles:
ADVANCE THE PUBLIC INTEREST

• Promote the interests of the public and put service to the

public above service to oneself.
UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND
THE LAW

• Respect and support government constitutions and laws,

while seeking to improve laws and policies to promote the
public good. 
PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC
PARTICIPATION

• Inform the public and encourage active engagement in

governance. 
• Be open, transparent and responsive, and respect and
assist all
persons in their dealings with public organizations.  
STRENGTHEN SOCIAL EQUITY

• Treat all persons with fairness, justice, and equality and

respect individual differences, rights, and freedoms.
• Promote affirmative action and other initiatives to reduce
unfairness, injustice, and inequality in society.
FULLY INFORM AND ADVISE

• Provide accurate, honest, comprehensive, and timely

information and advice to elected and appointed officials
and governing board members, and to staff members in their
organization.
DEMONSTRATE PERSONAL INTEGRITY

• Adhere to the highest standards of conduct to inspire public

confidence and trust in public service
PROMOTE ETHICAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Strive to attain the highest standards of ethics and public

service in organizations that serve the public
ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL
EXCELLENCE

• Strengthen personal capabilities to act competently and

ethically and encourage the professional development of
others.
CHOOSE NOUNS WHICH CORRECTLY
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING PHRASES:

• The Society affirms its responsibility to develop the spirit of

responsible ______________ within its membership.
• All those who work in public service should be committed to
ethical ______________ and ____________.
• The members of the Society should respect and support
government ________________ and _____________.
KEY

• The Society affirms its responsibility to develop the spirit of

responsible professionalism within its membership.
• All those who work in public service should be committed to
ethical principles and standards.
• The members of the Society should respect and support
government constitutions and laws.
CHOOSE NOUNS WHICH CORRECTLY
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING PHRASES:

• Public servants should inform the ______________ and

encourage active engagement in __________________.
• Public servants should adhere to the highest standards of
____________ to inspire public confidence and trust in public
service.
KEY

• Public servants should inform the public and encourage

active engagement in governance.
• Public servants should adhere to the highest standards of
conduct to inspire public confidence and trust in public
service.
Choose from the prepositions in the box to
complete the sentences:in, of, to, with, within
• The ASPA Code of Ethics was revised ___ 2013.
• The Society affirms its responsibility to develop the spirit of responsible
professionalism __________ its membership.
• The members of the Society commit themselves ______ uphold ethical
principles.
• The members should strive to attain the highest standards ___ ethics.
• Public servants should respect and assist all persons in their dealings
____ public organizations.  
V COMPLETE THE TABLE WITH
WORDS FROM THE TEXT AND THEIR
RELATED FORMS:

VERB NOUN ADJECTIVE

  inform  

participation    

    responsive

  adhere  

    affirmative