GOVT 450 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Public Administration, Cummins, Organizational Culture
Document Summary
Social values are essential to public administration. Ethics statements in private & public agencies. Many specific professions with their special ethical environments. May vary even among those in the same profession. Conditions that pertain at a given time. In general, factors at work in public administration are different from those in private sector or in charitable organizations. Nature of ownership has deep ethical implications. Private firm must make a profit to stay in business. Public organization need not make a profit but must further society"s values. When the private organization chooses to advance ethical issues, they are those that the owners, stockholders & organization as a whole consider worthy. The public agency must advance the values that the public considers worthy. Collective goods are generally free to all to consume. Ethical commitment of public agent is most critical in stewardship capacity. Must consider more than the bottom line .
