T]his is much more than a conventional reference guide. The 12 carefully written chapters examine significant issues and contemporary views of many of the basic problems in the field. Topics are approaches to the study of ethics in government, ethical dilemmas and standards for public officials, techniques for incorporating ethical considerations in policy-making, and several substantive problems--professional ethics, the ethical use of quantitative analysis, several forms of corruption, and morality in foreign policy-making. The volume assimilates most of the contemporary literature, presents a number of interesting cases, and is ideally suited as a text for upper-division or graduate courses in public administration and public policy. . . . an essential item in any collection that deals with the subject of ethics and public policy. "Choice"

Although democracy in the United States was founded upon ethical principles that Americans continue to hold sacrosanct, these values are seldom explicitly heeded in the policy-making processes that affect the destiny of the country and its citizens. With the professionalization of public administration during the past one-hundred years, managerial efficiency and scientific methods have been promoted at the expense of both ethics and politics. In this important new work, a distinguished group of social scientists, management scholars, attorneys, and philosophers explores the implications of neglecting these vital concerns. The authors focus on the difficult questions facing policymakers, administrators, and elected officials and suggest approaches to reconciling bureaucratic necessity with democratic values.

The first part of the volume examines contemporary ethical perspectives and establishes a framework for analysis. The moral dilemmas faced by public servants and the ethical standards governing the conduct of legislators are considered next. Chapters devoted to the techniques and methods of ethical policy-making discuss such issues as risk analysis, negotiation of rules and standards, the ombudsman in conflict resolution, and equal opportunity and affirmative action legislation. Chapters exploring systemic issues include professionalism in politics and administration; quantitative analysis in decision-making; waste, fraud, and abuse in government; and morality in the making of foreign policy. The volume concludes with an overview of ethics and public policy from a comparative perspective. Addressing the fundamental ethical relations between organizational authority and public employees, this unique new study is pertinent to many of the most pressing problems of our time. It will be of interest to scholars, students, practitioners, and other readers concerned with public administration, public policy, ethics in government, and professional ethics.

Understanding the effects of radical change on public personnel systems is critically important both now and in the future to all those interested in the quality of American democracy. Civil service reform is occurring at all levels of government both in the United States and abroad.

American Public Service: Radical Reform and the Merit System is a collection of papers that examine the innovations, strategies, and issues found in the contemporary civil service reform debate. Offering diverse perspectives from expert contributors, this book presents matters concerning radical reform and the merit system at the federal, state, and local levels of government.

This volume offers fresh insight into the effects of merit system changes on employees. Divided into four sections, this book...

- Examines a portrait of contemporary reforms from across the country and concepts to interpret those data

- Addresses whether the relaxation of civil service protections against partisan intrusion will result in corruption

- Provides examples of ongoing changes and analyzes survey data from state managers

- Discusses a variety of key issues, such as the impact on racial inequality of moving from a protected class employment status to an unprotected at-will relationship

The book provides a baseline of data on reforms as well as an account of their current promises and pitfalls. Covering topics ripped from the headlines, this text also identifies pressing issues and makes suggestions for the future. Offering a variety of methodological approaches, it is ideal for all those interested in effective governance.

Builds a coherent picture of ethical public management and provides students with a robust toolkit for making ethical decisions in a variety of settings. Thoroughly covers the essential topics and problems in public service ethics, and brings the theories and techniques of ethical management into sharp focus through compelling practical examples. Provides students with opportunities to apply concepts with exercises and case studies that illustrate real ethical problems confronting public managers. Fully updated with examples that interest students, including the Green New Deal, Black Lives Matter, the Biden administration, and the ethical challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and response.

The new context and character of public service--shifting values, entrepreneurship, information technology, multi-sector careers--require enhanced technical, ethical, and leadership skills. This concise and readable work describes what it means to be a consummate professional public servant. Essential reading for both professionals and students, it sets standards for everyone who conducts the public's business, and links them with performance management, human resource administration and information technology skills. The book identifies the ethical foundations of public service and how to integrate them in practice. It also addresses individual leadership, what it means and how it is based on a foundation of technical and ethical skills. Filled with original illustrative examples and case studies from government, the non-profit sector, and business, The Professional Edge is an ideal supplement for any introductory course in Public Administration or Ethics in the Public Service.

Builds a coherent picture of ethical public management and provides students with a robust toolkit for making ethical decisions in a variety of settings. Thoroughly covers the essential topics and problems in public service ethics, and brings the theories and techniques of ethical management into sharp focus through compelling practical examples. Provides students with opportunities to apply concepts with exercises and case studies that illustrate real ethical problems confronting public managers. Fully updated with examples that interest students, including the Green New Deal, Black Lives Matter, the Biden administration, and the ethical challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and response.

The new context and character of public service - shifting values, entrepreneurship, information technology, and multi-sector careers - require a 'skills triangle' of technical, ethical, and leadership abilities. This concise and readable work focuses on these three essential skills, and describes what it means to be a consummate professional public servant. Essential reading for both professionals and students, "Achieving Competencies in Public Service: The Professional Edge" sets standards for anyone who conducts the public's business, and links them with performance management, human resource administration, and information technology skills. Filled with original illustrative examples, case studies, and exemplar profiles, the book is an ideal supplement for any introductory course in Public Administration.

Human Resource Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems offers provocative and thorough coverage of the complex issues faced by employees and managers in the public sector, including managing under tight budgets with increasing costs, hiring freezes, contracting out, and the politicization of the civil service. Continuing the award-winning tradition of previous editions, authors Evan M. Berman, James S. Bowman, Jonathan P. West, and Montgomery R. Van Wart encourage active learning through various skill-building exercises and a mixture of individual, group, and in-class tasks. The Seventh Edition includes new examples on how COVID-19 has disrupted the workplace, equity and racial discord, organizational diversity, employee engagement and motivation, leadership development training, work-life balance, gender-based inequities, behavioral biases in appraisal, and unionization trends.

The new context and character of public service - shifting values, entrepreneurship, information technology, and multi-sector careers - require a 'skills triangle' of technical, ethical, and leadership abilities. This concise and readable work focuses on these three essential skills, and describes what it means to be a consummate professional public servant. Essential reading for both professionals and students, "Achieving Competencies in Public Service: The Professional Edge" sets standards for anyone who conducts the public's business, and links them with performance management, human resource administration, and information technology skills. Filled with original illustrative examples, case studies, and exemplar profiles, the book is an ideal supplement for any introductory course in Public Administration.

The new context and character of public service - shifting values, entrepreneurship, information technology, multi-sector careers - require enhanced technical, ethical, and leadership skills. This concise and readable work describes what it means to be a consummate professional public servant. Essential reading for both professionals and students, it sets standards for everyone who conducts the public's business, and links them with performance management, human resource administration and information technology skills. The book identifies the ethical foundations of public service and how to integrate them in practice. It also addresses individual leadership, what it means and how it is based on a foundation of technical and ethical skills. Filled with original illustrative examples and case studies from government, the non-profit sector, and business, The Professional Edge is an ideal supplement for any introductory course in Public Administration or Ethics in the Public Service.