The Study of Public Administration Essay
1. Ethics means a set of moral norms and principles that define one’s worldview and behavior and which are, as a rule, socially acceptable and comprise the basis of moral standards of behavior and interaction between people and their decision-making process. Ethics is a set of moral norms and principles for me that I have to comply with to interact with other people effectively and to have no remorse about my actions or decisions. My parents were the first to teach me ethics, while later I started to learn ethics from my social environment by learning what is socially acceptable and correct and, therefore, ethical. Later I learned ethics in the course of my education. Being a public servant or bureaucrat requires ethical behavior on the part of an individual. To be an ethical public servant and bureaucrat, one should comply with ethical norms and standards acceptable in society. Also, the ethical bureaucrat and public servant should focus on the fulfillment of their professional duties properly and avoid any conflict of interests. In this regard, one should follow ethical standards that are established in society and that people view as virtues. At the same time, one should avoid any actions that the public will perceive as wrong and unethical. These standards are deep-rooted in the contemporary culture and refer to the cultural domain and traditions rather than laws alone. I can know that I take the “right” action if I know that I will receive positive feedback from others and that this action serves the good of other people. For example, if I find a wallet, I should bring it to the police to find the owner.
2. The case of Brett O’Donnell, the Communications Director for Cathy McMorris Rogers became the case of the unethical and corruptive behavior of the official, who reported to be paid by Rogers, whereas, in actuality, he received campaign money. Moreover, he lied about this fact to the House Office of Congressional Ethics which was another instance of his wrongdoing and unethical behavior. This case reveals the full extent to which officials may act unethically because such actions do not simply mislead the public and other officials but also create conditions for corruption and wrongdoing at all levels of the bureaucratic hierarchy. Such actions are unacceptable because they lead to the violation of the principle of transparency and respect for ethical norms. The unethical behavior of officials creates uncertainty in the public and corrupts officials. This is why officials should act responsibly and ethically. Otherwise, they will lose the trust on the part of the public, whose interests they serve. Moreover, unethical behavior leads to the widening gap between people and officials, while the power belongs to people. This is officials should stick to their professional duties. The code of conduct should regulate their behavior and define their actions and decisions to prevent the violation of ethical norms.
3. The public service is very responsible and relies on the public trust. At the same time, this work and career are very rewarding in terms of the possibility to make a significant contribution to the well-being of the community. To put it more precisely, what makes the public services particularly attractive to me is the possibility to contribute to my community and be useful to my community. The awareness that my work has had a positive impact on my community means that my work is not meaningless but it serves to needs of others. This is why the assistance to the community and my contribution to my community via the public service make my life meaningful instead of a pointless pursuit of success in case of a career in the private sector.
References
Taylor, Frederick Winslow. The Principles of Scientific Management (New York: W.W. Norton Company, 1911).
White, Leonard D. Introduction to the Study of Public Administration. (New York: Macmillan, 1926), vi-viii.
Wilson, Woodrow. (1887). Study of Administration. Political Science Quarterly. 56: 481-506 (originally written in 1887).
