Every
government of country of the world and organizations that describes progress
and development have created atmosphere that promotes ethical decision-making
by institutionalizing ethics and morals in their places of work by establishing
code
of ethics. According to Onah cited by Ezeani (2006) a code is a statement of policies
principles or rules that guide behavior. To him code is a statement of policies,
principles of rules that guide behavior.
Logically, a code of ethics for public servants should state and emphasize those actions by employees that would lead to the realization of the organizational goals and at the same time not sacrificing other interests inside or outside the organization.
Logically, a code of ethics for public servants should state and emphasize those actions by employees that would lead to the realization of the organizational goals and at the same time not sacrificing other interests inside or outside the organization.
The question
that is to be answered at the juncture remains:
Is code of ethics desirable?
Or as chandler (1983) asked “can the language of a code possibly comprehend the
diversity of the field and the complexity of the problems of moral reasoning? “In
the United States of America there are arguments against, and for a code of ethics.
The arguments
in the United States against ethical code are lingered on practicality, procedure,
and administrative theory. The practical argumentum against code of ethics is
based on the functions clarion call for caution in moral affairs. Those who
criticize code of ethics are of the view that the tradition of American Public
Administration requires that the citizens live with moderate degree of
immorality and shun the occasional self-righteous moralist who forgets that men
and women are not angels (chandler cited by Ezani, 2006).
The
procedural argument against code of ethics places premium on consensus, and
builds consensus around the agreement to agree on nothing substantive. Morality
can never be forged from one ideal form thus; the lack of stated purpose is
regarded as America’s fundamental strengths because it has allowed the country
to define its purpose and compromise on principles, in order to achieve political
stability.
The unanimity of agreement against a code of
ethics from administrative theory subscribes and honours the tradition of the value
natural administrator who has no discretion and, therefore, no moral
responsibility (Weber, 1946 and Wilson, 1978). To Weber (1978), “the
bureaucratic marlin” in which the honour of the civil servants conscientiously the
order of superior authorities, “exactly as if the order agreed with his own conviction.
This holds even if the order appears wrong to him, and if, despite the civil
servants remonstrance, the authority insists on the order. Without this moral discipline
and self-denial, in the highest sense, the whole apparatus would fall to pieces”
in this regard, the crux of the administrative theory argument is that
bureaucracy by its natural and functioning sometimes promotes immoral conduct
among bureaucrats. It is therefore, unnecessary to have a code of ethics in any
administrative system.
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