Ethical Decision-Making

Vigoda-Gadot 2007). The ethical issues have become highly significant in determining citizens’ views of governments and administration (Esman 1997; Goldoff 1996). Citizens’ satisfaction is also correlated with trust in governance (Van Ryzin et al. 2004). When people perceive the government not caring about them, they become cynical about the politicians and the civil servants. The people show their frustration with the government and become hostile. The attacks on law enforcement officials in the United States is an indication of the frustration of the people.

The negative perception of fairness diminishes belief in the value of citizens’ involvement or political efficacy, thereby having a negative effect on citizens’ willingness to participate in politics and discouraging them from becoming more involved in communal activities (Neimi et al. 1991). Other studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between trust in government and the public’s level of satisfaction with the services they receive from the government (Van de Walle and Bouckaert 2003; Van Ryzin et al. 2004; Welch 2005). Trust and satisfaction are influenced by peoples’ perceptions of the level of ethics, morality, and the proper handling of decision-making processes in public administration (Berman and West 1994; Gawthorp 1998).

Globalization has made people increasingly aware of the internal conditions of countries around the world. Many multinational companies invest in developing countries to take advantage of cheap labor. However, if people are aware of the unethical conditions prevailing in host countries, the concerned public from the developed world are likely to oppose any investment in these developing countries. For example, the civil society and concerned members of the western public have opposed much investment in China for its alleged child labor and sweatshop conditions. Similarly, concerned citizens opposed the US investment in South Africa during the period of white minority rule, when the regime enacted the policy of apartheid. The challenge for public administration is to minimize both intra-organizational and inter-organizational politics. Transparency and openness about the rules and procedures can minimize organizational politics by exposing any violations.

ethiCal deCision-makinG The question of ethics is more pronounced in the area of decision-making affecting the public. Public administrators have to make decisions that will affect the country’s entire population. Administrators are judged by the