Discussion Post: Multiculturalism: Ethical Perspectives of a Diverse Workforce

We often focus on establishing policies and practices that codify and protect rights in the public sector. However, organizational culture also matters. Provide an example of how your workplace has addressed multiculturalism and discuss whether it was 1) the right thing to do in keeping with core societal values, 2) the needed thing to do to maintain your organization`s legitimacy and relevance, or 3) the intelligent thing to do in anticipation of societal change.

1) Considering these questions, consider what you have learned about frameworks and ethical models and how they might have applied to the decisions made.

2) Explain your answers to these questions and discuss what you would have done differently.

Reflection Discussion Post: Ethics in public Administration

1) After having the opportunity to complete the course, what would you change and why?
2) What topic particularly caught your interest and what do you want to know more about?
3) If you could share with the next class one piece of advice about this class, what would it be?

Assignment: Ethical Decision-making Models

An ethical decision-making model is a framework that leaders use to bring ensure that managers and employees consistently act in alignment with the organization`s values. Before a model can be used, leaders need to work through a set of steps to ensure they bring a comprehensive lens to handling ethical disputes or problems. There are many different models, but in this unit, we end where we began by revisiting "A Framework for Ethical Decision Making." and the Ethical Roadmap in Chapter 5 of our textbook. Then, we will look more deeply into the process of developing and applying an ethical framework.

Objectives:

1) Describe the key components of a working model of administrative ethics applied within a public organization.
2) Present and defend your research topic in a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

Activities:

1) Read, view, and engage with Readings and Resources.
2) Actively participate in the Unit Discussions.
3) Complete and submit the Unit 8 Assignment 1 - Use Grammarly to Review your Initial DB Post.
4) Complete and submit the Unit 8 Assignment 2 - Cultural Diversity and Awareness.

Readings and Resources

Articles, Websites, and Videos:

This guide provides public administrators with a ready reference to use when encountering and resolving ethical dilemmas in the performance of their duties.

1) Shafroth, Frank & the Northern Virginia Public Service Fellows Fourth Cohort, George Mason University. The ethical GPS, navigating everyday dilemmas: A local government guide. George Mason University. Fall of 2007.

This article presents examples of "structural idealists" and extreme measures used to develop a working model of ethical behaviors.

2) Stein, C. (2019, January 25). Ethical considerations in public administration. PA Times.

This article addresses the importance of building community trust and confidence and provides a checklist.

3) ICMA. (2016, December 12). Checklist for building trust and confidence in the community.

This article interviews U.S. Border Patrol agents to examine their legitimation work and the justificatory narratives they deploy to establish their moral authority and legitimacy of the system they represent.

4) Vega, I. I. (2018). Empathy, morality, and criminality: the legitimation narratives of U.S. Border Patrol agents. Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies, 44(15), 2544-2561.

The Federal Data Strategy and Data Ethics Framework help federal agencies understand and implement better decisions involving the ethical collection, use, management, and archiving of data.

5) Federal Data Strategy. (n.d.). Data ethics framework.

The webinar presents AI models for building a diversity strategy used to attract and retain top talent.

Supplemental Resources:

Watch this interview with a business leader on the importance and embodiment of ethical leadership in private and public organizations.