Ethics is the center of the practice of administration. Therefore, to enhance ethical practice, the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) ensures respect for the constitution, democratic procedures, and accountability in public institutions (Aceves, 2022). However, several institutions face difficulty articulating meaningful behavioral standards and establishing means to uphold the code of ethics. From my experience with public administration, the ASPA code of ethics is hardly followed based on numerous challenges facing the community. The current American society faces different and more complex public administration ethical issues caused by corruption, cultural incompetence, and the exclusion of citizens from public participation that affects the adherence to the ASPA code of ethics.
First, corruption has become a common practice in some public administration offices. According to Aceves, unethical decision-making occurs daily among public administrators, yet few report such incidents (2022). Failure to report corrupt officers prevents the effective implementation of the ASPA code of ethics. Subsequently, Americans suffer from shoddy service delivery, discrimination, nepotism, and exclusion from government services. For instance, one may fail to access government funds or services since some public administration officers prioritize their relatives and friends or accept bribes from undeserving people. Without ethical consciousness, public administration officers subject Americans to lasting ramifications such as systemic race, gender, or sex discrimination. Therefore, the officers who ought to offer ethically acceptable services to citizens get consumed with greed and cause unfair outcomes for citizens.
Cultural incompetence among public administration officers deters adherence to the ASPA code of ethics. In some instances, public administration officers may fail to make ethical decisions without knowledge of the diverse cultures within a country. However, cultural competency allows public administration officers to understand the diversity and uniqueness of every individual, hence better ethical decision-making and equity in service (Aceves, 2022). However, in some instances, public administration officers fail to equip themselves with knowledge of various cultures within America. For example, some medical officers do not realize the individual differences between patients regarding the illnesses associated with some communities. The struggle of minority communities with discrimination and exclusion in public institutions such as schools and courts of the law indicates cultural incompetency among some public administration officers. Thus, cultural competency is crucial for all public administration officers for ethical practice.
Third, the exclusion of citizens from public participation affects the adherence to the ASPA code of ethics. Community participation forms the heart of public administrative service delivery and efficiency determination. However, in some instances, public administration officers fail to involve community members in the actions and decisions of public sector departments. For example, public administration officers may agree to introduce a new community project without consulting community residents. Lack of public participation demeans the rights and responsibilities in influencing social, economic, and political change in their communities (Aceves, 2022). Furthermore, community members understand their needs better than public officers do. Therefore, failure to involve community residents in determining political, social, or economic programs affects the efficiency of such programs.
Generally, Americans depend on public administration officers to adhere to the ASPA code of ethics in their service delivery. However, some public officers act without ethical consciousness, thus failing to promote fairness, respect individual differences and promote initiatives that reduce inequality. With corruption, cultural incompetency, and lack of public involvement in public participation, public administration officers go against the ASPA code of ethics. Therefore, the code of ethics is not followed, leading to inefficiencies in public administration.
Reference
Aceves, B J. (2022). Ethical awareness in public administration. California State University, Northridge, 1-28. Web.