2. MORAL ACTION IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Moral means to well-based standards of right and
wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do,
usually in terms of duties, principles, specific
virtues, or benefits to society.
3. This definition identifies four dimensions or sources of
ethics, one based on the nature of public service
(Government, non-profit organization) ,and three based
on the philosophical perspectives to ethics:
1. Duties
2. Virtue
3. Principles
4. Benefits to society
4. Duties :
For persons who work in government and nonprofit
organizations, duty has a special importance. They must
serve the public, fulfill the expectations of public office,
and be trustees of public resources.
The ethics of public administrators begins with and is
grounded in duty. Duty means the “action required by
one’s business, occupation, or function” but also “the
action or behavior due by moral or legal obligation.”
Thus, duty implies obligations, responsibilities, and
meeting expectations that are imposed on the individual
from outside sources.
5. For the purpose of understanding our obligation to
answer for both our behavior and our performance, we
have to keep accountability on our duty.
Accountability means answering for our methods of
receiving and allocating resources, the manner in which
we manage our organizations generally, and the rationale
for decisions we make.
It refers to management in both public and nonprofit
organizations, and derives from two important values in
those sectors: transparency and trust.
6. Virtue :
is moral excellence and is a character trait or quality
valued as being always good in and of itself. Virtue
has been defined in different ways by different
cultures, but its core means are individual of :
honesty
courage
trustworthiness : can be relied trust and rest assured
that the trust will not be betrayed.
fairness and justice
benevolence : the expression of kindness, good for
others as such is a form of love
7. sympathy : social affinity in which one person
stands with another person, closely understanding
his or her feelings
empathy : is the capability to share another being’s
emotions and feelings
dependability
Ethics of virtue is a way of developing the skills when
one has to make ethical decision. So, individual’s
virtues reinforce the responsibility and accountability
of duty, and public administrators should practice
these virtues in their specific situations.
8. Principles :
Are fundamental truths that form the basis for
behavior; “kinds of action that are right or obligatory” .We
should have to understand the principles and moral
reasons. They guide us that should treat all persons
fairly and equally, observe the law, and follow the
direction set by leaders and organizations.
For the sake of being obedience to principles, fellows
should have not only virtues also respect : with both
mutual and self respect. Respect is a concept of
personality, and it makes an essential contribution to
individual’s life process. This ideology relates with
individual’s physical and mental development, and value
of survival.
9. Coherently, it can be attributed that one’s attitude and
dignity feed into one’s respect. Impact of positive or
negative attitude reflects on respect, and it will be
consequently.
In any organizations, provided fellows have relationship
founded on mutual respect and causes of virtue, they
can establish team spirit that can lead to effective and
efficient working environment.
10. Benefits to society: Actions that produce the greatest
good for the greatest number. In public focused
organization, it needs to have both effective and
efficient from effort. Therefore, philosophical tradition of
virtue, principle and consequence to society are
integrally linked to the concept of duties.
Eventually, to know the moral code is important, but
knowing the correct and proper course of action is not
enough. We must act in a way that is consistent with
what we consider to be right. It is significant for a public
manager who wishes to act ethically.
11. The questions that can express above four dimensions :
• What are the expectations of persons holding public
offices?
(duty)
• What are the qualities of a good person?
• What is the right thing to do?
• What is the most beneficial action to take?
(virtue)
(principle)
(consequences)
