Public Sector Ethics Concerns the Moral Requirements of...

INTRODUCTION Government and society cannot promote and enforce ethical behavior solely throughthe utilization of ethical codes of conduct or through the enforcement oflegislation. Communities tend to equate moral values and moral norms with values andnorms, which apply only to personal dealings. Public sector ethics concerns the moral requirements of public servants in that they are paid for and expected to offer the people. In terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996, all government departments are required to be efficient whichincludes observing particular ethical codes of conduct (Raga and Taylor, 2008). In this regard, this essay will be discussing the ethical standards and values expected of public†¦show more content†¦The importance of articulating ethics and the values that define and underpin the public service, cannot be underscored. This is seen as critical to providing both public officials and the public with a common frame of reference regard ing the principles and standards to be applied and in assisting public officials to develop an appreciation of the ethical issues involved in effective and efficient public service delivery (Hondeghem, 1998:30). An example of the importance attached to the above-mentioned ethical principles is found in the Seven Principles of Public Life by the Nolan Committee in the United Kingdom. The principles below, which are set out for the benefit of all who serve the public provide a valuable framework for evaluating recent experience and consider the future. This should be viewed against the background of the distinction between what is and what to be. Selflessness: Public officials should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends. Integrity: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties. Objectivity: In carrying out public business, including makingShow MoreRelatedInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pagesprinted on recycled, acid-free paper containing 10% postconsumer waste. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 QDB/QDB 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN 978-0-07-811257-7 MHID 0-07-811257-5 Vice President Editor-in-Chief: Brent Gordon Vice President, EDP/Central Publishing Services: Kimberly Meriwether-David Editorial Director: Paul Ducham Managing Developmental Editor: Laura Hurst Spell Developmental Editor: Jane Beck Associate Marketing Manager: Jaime Halteman Project Manager: Erin Melloy Buyer: Kara Kudronowicz Design Coordinator:Read MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesYork San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Director of Editorial Services: Ashley Santora Acquisitions Editor: Brian Mickelson Editorial Project Manager: Sarah Holle Editorial Assistant: Ashlee Bradbury VP Director of Marketing: Patrice Lumumba Jones Senior Marketing Manager: Nikki Ayana Jones Senior Managing Editor: JudyRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesE SSAYS ON TWENTIETH-C ENTURY H ISTORY In the series Critical Perspectives on the Past, edited by Susan Porter Benson, Stephen Brier, and Roy Rosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and CultureRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesManager, Cover Visual Research Permissions: Karen Sanatar Manager Central Design: Jayne Conte Cover Art: Getty Images, Inc. Cover Design: Suzanne Duda Lead Media Project Manager: Denise Vaughn Full-Service Project Management: Sharon Anderson/BookMasters, Inc. Composition: Integra Software Services Printer/Binder: Edwards Brothers Cover Printer: Coral Graphics Text Font: 10/12 Weidemann-Book Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook