The Ethics Primer for Public Administrators in Government and Nonprofit Organizations

Written to introduce students to the fundamentals of administrative responsibility and ethics, The Ethics Primer for Public Administrators in Government and Nonprofit Organizations provides a clear understanding of why ethics are important to administrators in governmental and non-profit organizations, and how these administrators can relate their own personal values to the norms of the public sector. The Ethics Primer guides the student to align his or her own ethical commitments with the ethical standards of the field. Further, it helps the reader understand how to put these standards into practice as an individual administrator and as a leader of a public or nonprofit organization. Utilizing the ethics triangle as a framework that stresses virtue, principles, and promoting good outcomes, this text clearly articulates for the reader the duties and responsibilities of public servants. Thoroughly updated, the Third Edition offers: - Greater attention to administrators in nonprofit organizations throughout the book. - New discussion of the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) code of ethics, in addition to its focus on key professional codes as a guide to ethical behavior. - Stronger emphasis on reconciling one's personal and professional code of ethics. - New Chapter (11) on Public Affairs Education and Ethics that examines the ethical issues and challenges associated with each of the NASPAA core competencies. - Updated Section on Responsible Whistleblowing features new information pertaining to the whistleblower report that contributed to investigation of presidential activities in Ukraine
"The Ethics Primer for Government and Nonprofit Administrators is a concise introduction to the complex topic of administrative ethics that guides the student to align his or her own ethical commitments with the ethical standards of the field. Further, it helps the reader understand how to put these standards into practice as an individual administrator and as a leader of a public or nonprofit organization. Top 5 Problem-Oriented Features: 1. Grounds ethical behavior in key professional codes of ethics, especially the code of the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA). 2. Clearly articulates the duties and responsibilities of public servants through the framework of the "ethics triangle" which draws on universal ethical standards that stress virtue, principles, and promoting good outcomes. 3. Drawing on the author's research on the relationship of politics and administration, it describes the role of administrators as based on a complementary relationship with elected officials or members of organizational boards of directors. 4. Uniquely draws a distinction between universal ethical principles and the distinct duties of public administrators 5. Explores techniques for ethical analysis and problem solving including a model to guide application of the ethical triangle to resolving a specific issue The Ethics Primer is a concise introduction to the complex topic of administrative ethics that guides the student to align his or her own ethical commitments with the ethical standards of the field. Further, it helps the reader understand how to put these standards into practice as an individual administrator and as a leader of a public or nonprofit organization. To a greater extent than other texts, it grounds ethical behavior in key professional codes of ethics, especially the code of the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA). Codes articulate the duties and responsibilities of public servants. Duty is at the core of the "ethics triangle" that draws on universal ethical standards that stress virtue, principles, and promoting good outcomes"--
James Svara taught courses in politics and public administration over a forty-year career at UNC-Greensboro, North Carolina State University, and Arizona State University. His research has examined the roles and responsibilities of elected and administrative officials in local government, the complementary relationship of politics and administration, administrative ethics, innovation, citizen involvement, and sustainability. He co-chaired the Working Group that drafted the revised Code of Ethics of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) approved in 2013, and he was appointed the inaugural chairperson of the ASPA Ethics and Standards Implementation Committee in 2015. He has lived in Durham since 2012 and has been involved in community issues related to affordable housing and transit.