Ethics in public administration and policy

Ethics in Public Administration and Policy Different people working for various organizations and generally in the public sector have different personalities. For any set of people to succeed, they must abide by same rules and standards. As such, there is need for ethics in public administration and policy to ensure fairness, integrity, good leadership, and unity of purpose. Indeed, ethical leadership is Public Administration and Policy has a mandate to uphold objectives and organizational culture for the need of improving performance. In fact, public administrators and policy makers that share common values, practice ethical behavior, and have a sense of purpose enjoy a competitive advantage. Ethics applies in both public and private organizations in offering services and leadership with an aim of promoting public interest, integrity, and accountability. This paper will thus discuss the history and importance of ethics in public administration and policy. It will equally address a good, clear research question based on ethics in public administration and policy.
Ethics in public administration and policy refers to the determination of the right and wrong human behaviors in course of offering public services and leadership. The modern world is a witness to questions of fraudulent practices, inequality, mismanagement of funds, and other unethical behaviors in public administration and policy. As such, this has led to the need of addressing ethical standards in public administration and policy (Lawton, 2010). Actually, there is dire need for ethical problem solving and decision-making in public administration and policy-making. Therefore, the public administrators have a mandate to establish and implement ethical standards in an organization. Ideally, every organization adopts a code of ethics that defines how the public administrators and other stakeholders should behave in making policies and offering leadership. Moreover, Ethics in public administration and policy relates to social commitment, ethical leadership, and organizational culture.
Indeed, the importance of ethics in public administration and policy is unquestionable. Ethics helps in restoring discipline, ensuring accountability, integrity, compliance to standards, and better leadership for purposes of public leadership. Through the code of ethics, we can avoid various frauds errors, and unethical behaviors like corruption in public administration and policy. Actually, where anti-corruption laws and codes of conduct fail in preventing unethical behavior, international bodies like the United Nations seek to establish a code of ethics that promotes good public administration and policy. Since public administration and policy involves dealing with humanity, there is need for a code of ethics that is efficient in promoting public interest, good relations with the public, and seeking improved productivity (Johnson, 2003). Indeed, in absence of the code of ethics it is challenging to administer justice and create better policies for public interest.
Nevertheless, despite the international call for the establishment and adoption of an effective code of ethics in public administration and policy, unethical behaviors are still rampant in the public sector. As such, this brings this research question as to (a). Does low basic salary contribute to funds embezzlement behavior among public administrators (b) How can basic salary be structured to reduce funds embezzlement behavior among public administrators? In addressing this question, we will be able to achieve the objectives of public administration and policy and ensure fulfillment of public interest. This will restore public confidence, integrity, accountability, and good leadership in public administration and policy.
References
Johnson, K. (2003). The role of leadership in organizational integrity and five modes of ethical leadership. Retrieved from http://www. ethics. org/resource/role-leadership-organizational-integrity-and-five-modes-ethical-leadership
Lawton, A. (2010). Public service ethics: developing the field. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 23( 7).