ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a theoretical and historical discussion of administrative ethics, transitioning into a more practical and real-world discussion of bureaucratic discretion and the formal rules guiding such discretion. It discusses codes of ethics, and the ways in which public administrators can combat corruption and unethical practices, including whistleblowing. Public service is important because the essential purposes of our society are carried out largely in the public sphere: public education, public health, justice and security, environmental protection, museums, and universities. The mere mention of “bureaucracy” invokes images ranging from gross ineptitude and the inability to complete simple tasks to elitist public officials abusing their power. One of the most commonly agreed-on notions in the field of public administration is that administrators have numerous roles, or value sets, which are sources for the decisions they make. The organizational structure in which public employees currently operate engenders ethical dilemmas.
