ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE CHALLENGES
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with different types of laws guiding privacy rights. Further, each nation has to respect the privacy rights of other nations. Without the protection of rights to privacy, it is possible for a country to turn into a police state. Currently, the protection of private information faces serious problems from hackers. The widespread use of technology has allowed the hackers to attack both government agencies and private companies for sensitive information relating to government employees and private individuals. The attacks by hackers have become a security threat to both individuals and the government. Therefore, the government is obligated to protect sensitive private information. In the age of the Iternet, individuals are recognized by their identity number rather than personal identification. Any loss of identity poses a serious threat to the protection of life, liberty, and the protection of property. Hence, the government must protect the individuals from the attacks on their private information. The alleged involvement of the Russian hackers in the US Presidential Election of 2016 is a case of serious violation. The fabric of democracy is dependent on the fairness and reliability of the election. Therefore, if the hackers could manipulate the election in western countries, they can destabilize the very foundation of democracy.
Organizational Politics and Ethics Globalization has multiplied the number of participants in public administration because of the involvement of formal and informal actors both at home and abroad. The involvement of different organizations and individuals can cause complicated organization politics. Organizational politics (OP) can raise the issue of ethical concerns. In recent decades, OP, as perceived by employees and managers, has become a field of considerable interest in business administration, management, and applied psychology. Studies have emphasized that the ways employees perceive their workplace in terms of political climate, power struggles, influence tactics, and ethical decisions are crucial in many respects (Menzel 2009). The organizations that are perceived as more political in nature are also considered less fair and less ethical (Ferris and Kacmar 1992; Kacmar and Ferris 1991). Organizational politics can lead to a diminution in employee performance, and higher levels of stress and strain (Harris and Kacmar 2005). OP also causes lower levels of job satisfaction, reduced commitment to the organization, the delivery of low-quality services, increased turnover intentions, and higher rates of actual turnover (Ferris et al. 1996; Folger et al. 1992;
