Assignment
Chapter 1
1. The conceptual focus of the text is the role of the public administrator in an organizational setting. What is the integrating ethical concept of Cooper's text?
2. What is the central ethical process that is described?
3. Why does the text say it is critical to study ethics if one is to be a public administrator?
4. Give an example of making an ethical decision that is NORMATIVE.
5. Give an example of making an ethical decision that is DEONTOLOGICAL
6. Give an example of making an ethical decision that is TELEOLOGICAL.
7. What is the word used to define "packaged expectations and obligations?"
8. Give an example of one that is present in your world right now.
9. What is the word used to define "accepting and carrying out packaged expectations and obligations?"
10. Give an example of a dilemma likely to arise for the public administrator when considering these two entities in questions 8 and 10.
11. According to Cooper which is superior, law or judgment?
12. Why?
13. What is the difference between ethics and morality?
14. What does Cooper mean when he says ethics is "one step removed from action?
15. When considering a problem-solving approach, the text reminds us that "uncertainties abound" when dealing with ethical issues. What is an example of this?
16. What does Becker mean by "the hierarchy of credibility?"
17. What does it mean when the text insists that "ethical problems are dynamic?"
18. In the reference to the novel Chesapeake, Paxmore explains why he thinks Wilson and Teddy Roosevelt would have responded differently than Nixon regarding Watergate. In your own words, tell why they would have.
19. Paxmore also says Nixon's team was "deficient in education." Explain what he means in your own words.
20. Suppose someone in another department told you that the Director of HR is hiring her cousins
and not putting the job out for bid. You feel that doing this violates department and agency policy, so you have, in effect perceived an ethical issue. Suppose you were the Chief Administrator of this HR Director. What might you do first in following the model in the book?
21. In this situation above, what would be one of the principles that might be violated?
22. Aiken lists four levels of ethical reflection.
A. The expressive level involves what?
B. An example of the moral rules level is:
C. The ethical analysis level involves what?
D. Whatlevel asks "Why should I be principled?" or "What are my real values and principles?"
E. Which is the recommended level? Why?
23. What is a descriptive decision making model?
24. What is a prescriptive descriptive decision making model?
25. Of these two terms, what is the model described in the book?
26. Why do you say that?
27. When using the model in the text, what kind of language should be avoided in the first step, in which we describe the Issue or dilemma?
28. In defining the ethical issue, what does the text mean when it says "The tendency is to define the problem in practical rather than ethical terms."
29. In identifying alternative courses of action, what does the text mean by saying it is important to avoid either-or solutions?
30. In your own words, what are two benefits of using the decision model in the text?
Text Book: The Responsible Administrator: An Approch to Ethics for the Administrative Role by Cooper, Terry L. .