Public Administration: The Ethical Challenges Case Study

Public administrators may face numerous ethical challenges in upholding and enforcing the law, controlling performance, or facilitating productive communication. Previously discussed approach to organizational behavior is the biblical/covenantal perspective on governance, which affirms the duty of a leader to govern in a way that protects everyone’s individual rights (Fischer, 2010). Combining aspects of other structures creates a more explicit ethical guidance for the managers. This framework emphasizes the sense of justice and equal support for each community member, which is achieved and perpetuated by mutual accountability and care (Fischer, 2010). Concepts from various case studies will be analyzed and related to this model in this work.

The foundational ideas for governance are often sourced from ancient societies’ moral and fact-based principles. Public administrators are expected to make objective decisions (factually correct), but the decisions are not regulated in the same way (O’Reilly, 2011). To demonstrate this issue, a case by van Steden (2020) identifies a lack of ethical approach incorporation, specifically, of integrity, in governance. Exemplary creations, whether in engineering or pottery, typically function as a public testament to one’s work quality, which propagates integrity, consistency, and reliability. Professional craftsmen’s work ethic historically relies on principles outlined by Aristotle: “praxis,” or between-colleagues knowledge sharing, and “phronesis,” which is simultaneously practical wisdom and virtue (van Steden, 2020, p. 239). As van Steden (2020) contends, governance should embrace the ethical obligation to go beyond the bare minimum and achieve professional excellence by continuously reflecting on and refining the process. This case study of craftsmanship inspects the ethical implication of integrating the same principles of cultivating virtue and embracing collective values.

Other challenges of public administration ethics may similarly be studied through a prism of ancient literature. Marini (1992) explores the lessons for governance drawn from the works of Sophocles, specifically Antigone. By addressing the challenges facing different characters, various learning points are created, including the problem of conscience in governance (Marini, 1992). The challenge of conscience, to which the play is arguably dedicated, directs public administrative ethics to examine the established rules. However, solely trusting in personal morality does not lead to effective governance. Instead, Marini (1992) suggests that professional administrative ethics should reference conscience coupled with the understanding of the rules and complexities of the managed community. Therefore, the question of morality and integrity is raised and addressed again, this time contextualizing personal values and joining them with professional practices.

Furthermore, the digital era has brought unprecedented challenges to governance as information and communication technology (ICT) has overturned the dynamics of organizational structures. The case study by Emina (2020) evaluates ethical perspectives of digital public administration of virtual societies. For instance, although helpful organizationally, the increasing lack of users’ data confidentiality leads to an eventual breach of trust (Emina, 2020). In using ICT-powered systems, public administrators must be guided by moral and ethical principles to avoid explicit privacy violations (Emina, 2020). This case may benefit from relying on the major principles set out by the biblical/covenantal approach like empowerment of individuals and, ultimately, mutual respect, including respect for online privacy.

Another ethical challenge in public administration concerns the bureaucratic system. One of the notorious guiding concepts in public administration is ‘public interest,’ which allows executing laws “in the public interest, convenience, or necessity” (Shafritz & Hyde, 2017, p. 103). However, a question arises on the ethical implication of justifying any action in the public interest. For instance, a study of torture ethics by Einolf (2016) ponders to which extent the utilitarian approach (means justified by ends) should be referenced in justifying such action. The biblical framework highlights the importance of respecting individuals in the community, aligning closely with deontological ethics, which states that the intent and not consequences determine the moral value of an act (Einolf, 2016). Thus, through this case study, public administrators are encouraged to evaluate their intent and the virtue it holds before making a governing decision. Overall, virtue, respect, and integrity have been highlighted repeatedly throughout this work as some of public administrators’ major guiding ethical principles.

References

Einolf, C. (2016). The ethics and politics of torture: Public administration review. Public Administration Review, 76(2), 354–357.

Emina, K. A. (2020). Public administration and ethics in digital era. PINISI Discretion Review, 1(1), 243.

Fischer, K. (2010). A biblical-covenantal perspective on organizational behavior & leadership. Faculty Publications and Presentations, 523, 13–25.

Marini, F. (1992). The uses of literature in the exploration of public administration ethics: The example of Antigone. Public Administration Review, 52(5), 420–426.

O’Reilly, P. (2011). Herbert Simon: “Is’s” and “oughts” after sixty years. Public Integrity, 13(4), 371–384.

Shafritz, J. M., & Hyde, A. C. (2017). Classics of public administration (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.

van Steden, R. (2020). Blind spots in public ethics and integrity research: What public administration scholars can learn from Aristotle. Public Integrity, 22(3), 236–244.