MPA604 M8D1: Design Approach to Ethical Decision-Making Part 1Each part has to have at least 500 wordsUse Question/ Answer format.As Cooper (2012) indicates, the goal for public administrators is for

MPA604 M8D1: Design Approach to Ethical Decision-Making Part 1

Each part has to have at least 500 words

Use Question/ Answer format.

As Cooper (2012) indicates, the goal for public administrators is for a formal ethical decision-making process to become more of an “intuitive decision-making skill” (p. 37). Applying this model repeatedly to different scenarios will help you develop this skill.

Respond to the following:

• Using a real-world ethical dilemma, summarize how you would apply each step of the design approach in responding to that ethical dilemma.

• Describe which step of the model (below) you believe will be the most difficult for you to apply in the field and why.

Reference

Cooper, T. L. (2012). The responsible administrator: An approach to ethics for the administrative role (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

M8D2: The Responsible Administrator Part 2

Each part has to have at least 500 words

Use Question/ Answer format

For this discussion, reflect on the ethics and leadership concepts you have studied during the course. Consider how you would describe what it means to be a “responsible administrator” and how you believe leadership styles factor into being a responsible administrator.

Respond to the following:

• Summarize what it means to you to be a “responsible administrator.”

• Describe how your leadership style factors into being a responsible administrator.

• Select one practical ethical or leadership aspect you studied during the course and describe how you will implement it in your current or desired role.

Leadership Styles

Three leadership theories have been studied extensively since the late 1970s. These are transformational, transactional, and servant leadership. While there is some overlap among these, each has its own distinctive characteristics, such as how the leader-follower relationship is viewed, the leader’s level of involvement with followers, and the attributes and behaviors employed by the leader.

Module 8: Module Notes: A Design Approach to Ethical Problem-Solving

A primary goal of applying the design approach to ethical decision-making is to push administrators to go beyond merely analyzing an ethical dilemma and choosing the most ethical course of action (Cooper, 2012, p. 254). While these initial steps are obviously essential, when administrators employ a design approach, they also factor in the organization’s structure and culture when choosing the best course of action, and consider possible interventions to improve the ethics of the organization.

Embedded in this approach are the descriptive and prescriptive models Cooper described in Chapter 2. You will also recall from Chapter 2 that part of this process is not linear.

1. Carefully and systematically define the ethical problem you are facing.

2. Work through the decision-making model in Chapter 2 to identify the best course of action to address the problem.

3. Consider organizational factors (i.e., structure and culture) that may encourage or impede the action you are proposing to take.

4. Consider intervention strategies you might employ to make the organization more supportive of the kind of conduct you have decided is consistent with public administrative ethics.

(Cooper, 2012, pp. 252–253).

Reference

Cooper, T. L. (2012). The responsible administrator: An approach to ethics for the administrative role (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Module Notes: Steps in the Design Approach to Ethical Problem-Solving

Let us now take a closer look at the four steps involved in this approach to ethical problem solving, and the factors you should consider in each step.

Reference:

Cooper, T. L. (2012). The responsible administrator: An approach to ethics for the administrative role (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• Define the Problem

In defining the ethical problem, be sure to describe it as objectively as possible (Cooper, 2012).

• Identify a Course of Action

When identifying the alternatives available for addressing the problem, resist thinking in “either/or” terms and be open to all possibilities before making a final decision (Cooper, 2012).

• Consider Organizational Factors

Also, before making a final decision, consider the positives and negatives about the organization’s structure and culture as they relate to the action you are proposing. For instance, is the organization more of a bureaucracy that is resistant to change or often retaliatory toward employees who do not “toe the line”? (Cooper, 2012). On the other hand, a more rigid organization might be rooted in law and support ethical initiatives you seek to implement (Cooper, 2012).

• Consider Intervention Strategies

In Chapter 10, Cooper (2012) also emphasizes that a manager should be thinking strategically and employ interventions that will likely result in the desired structural and cultural changes.

In your first discussion board in this module, you will be applying this design approach to an ethical dilemma you have chosen.

Module Notes: Connecting the Dots

These module notes tie together several of the concepts you have studied in the course. They are intended to be useful as you write your final paper. You should also review the section called “The Responsible Administrator” on pages 256–259 in the textbook, where Cooper summarizes key points from each chapter.

In the second discussion board for this module, you will provide your own definition of what it means to be a “responsible administrator.” This can be a complex concept to define, due to the many conflicting roles and responsibilities of public administrators.

You will now see the first six items in a checklist of factors that public administrators must consider when they face ethical dilemmas.

Reference

Cooper, T. L. (2012). The responsible administrator: An approach to ethics for the administrative role (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Levels of Ethical Reflection

These include the expressive level, moral rules, ethical analysis, and post-ethical level (Chapter 2).

The Context of Administrative Ethics

This includes the social, cultural, and political framework impacting the organization (Chapter 3).

Tension Between Different Roles

There could be tension between the roles of public administrator and citizen, as well as between the public and personal roles held by the public administrator (Chapter 3).

Objective and Subjective Responsibility

These include conflicts of authority, role conflicts, and conflicts of interest (Chapter 5).

Objective responsibility is the responsibility to someone and for tasks, subordinates, and goals. Subjective responsibility, on the other hand, is our own internal sense of responsibility and beliefs about responsibility (Chapter 4).

Conflicts Between Objective and Subjective Responsibilities

These include conflicts of authority, role conflicts, and conflicts of interest (Chapter 5).

Internal and External Controls

Responsible conduct can be maintained in public organizations using mechanisms to shape the “conduct of members of public organizations toward consistently ethical conduct,” using internal and external controls.

Cooper (2012) describes four “components of responsible conduct” an administrator can use to design an organizational environment that supports ethical conduct:
individual attributes, organizational structure, organizational culture, and societal expectations (pp. 165–192; p. 258) (Chapters 6 & 7).

Module Notes: Connecting the Dots: Completing the Checklist

Ethical autonomy should be maintained in public organizations to protect against “organizational corruption” (Cooper, 2012, p. 259).

Cooper identifies four means for encouraging autonomy: "(1) The delimitation of commitment to an employing organization and the cultivation of identities that transcend its boundaries, (2) legal and institutional protection for individual rights and conscience, (3) an ethic of awareness, and (4) the cultivation of principled thinking" (p. 259) (Chapter 8).

Maintaining Ethical Autonomy

Ethical autonomy should be maintained in public organizations to protect against “organizational corruption” (Cooper, 2012, p. 259).

Cooper identifies four means for encouraging autonomy: "(1) The delimitation of commitment to an employing organization and the cultivation of identities that transcend its boundaries, (2) legal and institutional protection for individual rights and conscience, (3) an ethic of awareness, and (4) the cultivation of principled thinking" (p. 259) (Chapter 8).

Design Approach for Ethical Decision-Making

The design approach for ethical decision-making could be applied at both the grand scale (e.g., Challenger or Columbia disasters) and for small, everyday occurrences (Chapter 9).

Tension Between Different Roles

Leadership theories (transformational; transactional; servant; and laissez-faire) could be applied (from Module 4 readings).

Administration in the 21st Century

Specific considerations need to be made when leading diverse teams and public administration in the 21st century (e.g., use of social media) (Lean In and Modules 5 and 7).

Reference

Sandberg, S. (2013). Lean in: Women, work, and the will to lead (1st ed.). New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.