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Public Service Ethics: Individual and Institutional Responsibilities

W. Somerset Maugham

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Public service ethics are the moral principles that guide the conduct of public servants. These principles include honesty, integrity, impartiality, and accountability. Public servants are responsible for upholding these principles in their work, and for ensuring that the public trust is maintained.

Public Service Ethics: Individual and Institutional Responsibilities

by James S. Bowman

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3684 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	434 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

The individual responsibilities of public servants include:

Honesty: Public servants must be honest in all their dealings with the public and with their colleagues. They must not lie, cheat, or steal.
Integrity: Public servants must have integrity. They must be honest, trustworthy, and reliable. They must not allow their personal interests to interfere with their work.
Impartiality: Public servants must be impartial in their work. They must not favor one person or group over another. They must treat everyone fairly and justly.

li>Accountability: Public servants are accountable for their actions. They must be willing to take responsibility for their mistakes and to learn from them.

The institutional responsibilities of public service organizations include:

Creating a culture of ethics: Public service organizations must create a culture of ethics in which public servants are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards. This culture must be supported by strong leadership, clear policies, and effective training.
Providing ethical guidance: Public service organizations must provide ethical guidance to their employees. This guidance should include clear policies on ethical behavior, as well as training and resources to help employees apply ethical principles in their work.
Enforcing ethical standards: Public service organizations must enforce ethical standards. This means taking appropriate disciplinary action against employees who violate ethical standards.
Protecting whistleblowers: Public service organizations must protect whistleblowers who report unethical behavior. This means providing them with confidential reporting channels, investigating their reports promptly, and taking appropriate action to protect them from retaliation.

Public service ethics are essential for maintaining the public trust. When public servants uphold ethical principles, they help to ensure that the public can have confidence in the government and its institutions. This trust is essential for a healthy democracy.

This book explores the individual and institutional responsibilities of public servants, and provides practical guidance on how to apply ethical principles in the workplace. It is a valuable resource for public servants at all levels, and for anyone who is interested in the ethical challenges facing public service today.

Public Service Ethics: Individual and Institutional Responsibilities

by James S. Bowman

5 out of 5