In a down-to-earth review of the often-contentious subject of ethics, Public Sector Ethics: Theory and Applications presents personal accounts of individuals who faced moral dilemmas and how they resolved them. It moves the study of ethics away from a box checking exercise of what to do/not to do to a discussion that creates understanding of existential choices that people make. The book supplements discussion of the literature with practical examples of ethical dilemmas that public servants face.
Through detailed case studies the book argues that the concept of ethics is not black and white, but is a fluid concept that can be described in shades of gray through various lenses. It identifies how factors such as religion and philosophy can shape individuals’ values and possible friction that can arise between individuals’ values and missions of their organizations. It also stresses the importance of an organization’s strength of mission in creating environments for ethical action.
Taking a candid look at some of the unsavory stereotypes relating to government employee work ethic, the book explains the relationship between ethics and organizational structure. It emphasizes the role of mission fulfillment as a means to respond to the wishes of the populace, linking ethics to democratic accountability. It then gives you a framework for making ethical decisions that line up with your organization’s mission.
Introduction: In Search of a Paradigm
Influences on Ethical Behavior
Problems of Religious and Philosophical Guides
Mission Statements of Public Sector Organizations
Mission and Organizational Culture
Conclusions
Ethical Grounding: Philosophical Perspectives
Basic Tenets of Deontology
Basic Tenets of Teleology
Basic Tenets of Virtue Ethics
Ethical Insights from Philosophy
Ethical Grounding: Religious Perspectives
Buddhist Ethics
Confucian Ethics
Judaic Ethics
Islamic Ethics
Christian Ethics
Ethical Insights from Religious Perspectives
Mission, Ethical Dilemmas, and Role of Culture in Organizations
Mission Statements
Personal versus Organizational Ethics: Dilemmas of Loyalty
Personal versus Organizational Ethics: Dilemmas of Resistance
Mission and Culture: Safety, Research/ Knowledge, and Economic Oversight Organizations
Personally Confronting Mission Dissonance: Exit and Voice
Why Exit? Ethics of Exit
Exit Case Studies
Why Voice? Ethics of Whistle-Blowing
Voice Case Studies
Conjectural Cases in Exit and Voice
Exemplars of Public Service
Notable Exemplars of Public Service
Insights from Case Studies
Conclusions
Mission and Ethics: A Utilitarian Perspective
Ethics and the Public Sector
References
Biography
Steven G. Koven