Deck 12: Accountability and Ethics

Question 1

The confrontation between the boss follower and civic cultures was once a major feature of politics and public administration. How important do you think it is today in (a) legislative politics involving public administration, (b) urban politics and administration, and (c) public administration generally? What accounts for the differences (or similarities) in these three areas?

Answer 1

(a) Legislative politics involving public administration: The confrontation between the boss follower and civic cultures remains important in legislative politics involving public administration. This is because the clash between these two cultures often shapes the decision-making processes within legislative bodies. The boss follower culture, characterized by top-down hierarchical control and centralized decision-making, may clash with the civic culture that emphasizes participation, transparency, and accountability. This clash can impact the formulation and implementation of public policies and administrative practices.

(b) Urban politics and administration: In urban politics and administration, the confrontation between the boss follower and civic cultures continues to be significant. Urban areas often have diverse populations with varying needs and priorities, and the clash between these two cultures can influence how resources are allocated, services are delivered, and development decisions are made within urban settings. The boss follower culture may prioritize political expediency and patronage, while the civic culture may advocate for inclusive and participatory governance processes.

(c) Public administration generally: The confrontation between the boss follower and civic cultures remains important in public administration generally. The organizational culture within public agencies can shape how policies are implemented, how services are delivered, and how public servants engage with the community. The clash between these two cultures can impact the efficiency, effectiveness, and legitimacy of public administration.

The differences in the importance of the confrontation between these cultures in the three areas may be attributed to the unique dynamics and priorities within legislative politics, urban settings, and public administration. For example, legislative politics may be more influenced by partisan politics and power dynamics, while urban politics may be shaped by the needs of diverse communities and the competition for resources. Public administration generally may be influenced by the organizational culture of specific agencies and the broader societal expectations for public service delivery. However, the similarities in the importance of this confrontation across these three areas lie in the fundamental tension between centralized control and participatory governance, which continues to be a defining feature of politics and public administration.

Question 2

Sometimes the concepts of inner checks on public administrators and external checks have been considered pursuit of dissimilar outcomes. In what ways are they compatible and complementary? In what ways, incompatible?

Answer 2

Not Answered

Question 3

Evaluate the American Society for Public Administration's code of professional ethics from the perspectives of (a) affording specific guidance to public administrators and (b) contributing to "good" public administration. Try to amend or revise the code to make it more in keeping with the kind of public administration you would like to see in the United States.

Answer 3

Not Answered

Question 4

Why isn't congressional oversight a matter of higher priority for Congress? Should Congress engage in more forceful oversight of administrative operations? Why or why not?

Question 5

If current trends hold, the government will rely on more contracting out and "outsourcing" of governmental functions in the future. How can we ensure a high degree of accountability and ethical standards under such an arrangement? What types of structures would you put in place to promote accountability and ethics from "third-party" government?

Question 6

According to John A. Rohr, some agency codes of conduct

A) pay meticulous attention to trivial questions
B) emphasize staying out of trouble
C)reflect the Wilsonian ideal that politics should be separate from administration
D)all of the above

Question 7

In terms of social representation, public administrators in the United States are most likely to be drawn disproportionately from

A) the lower class
B) the middle class
C)the upper class
D)all of the above are proportionally represented

Question 8

Bureau ideologies may be an important factor in

A) generating support
B) socializing employees
C)narrowing administrators' perspectives
D)all of the above

Question 9

The concept of bureau ideology is most closely associated with

A) Frederick Mosher
B) Joseph LaPalombara
C)Anthony Downs
D)Carl Friedrich

Question 10

Corruption must involve

A) political exchange
B) seeking material benefits
C)violation of the norms of the political culture
D)transactional activity

Question 11

It is difficult to hold public administrators accountable because

A) they are experts and they control information
B) they are often protected by personnel systems
C)it is often difficult to coordinate a government with separated and shared powers
D)all of the above

Question 12

Strictly speaking, pork-barrel projects are most likely to be considered corrupt under

A) regime values
B) the civic culture
C)federal law
D)all of the above

Question 13

The Law of Counter Control most closely states that

A) public agencies will control whoever tries to control them
B) public administrators who meet the public face to face at "counters" (sometimes called "windows") control the intake of organizations
C)no matter how hard subordinates try to control superordinates, the latter will dominate
D)efforts made by a superordinate official to control subordinates will meet with counteraction or evasion

Question 14

The "revolving door" refers most closely to

A) clientele relationships
B) exchange of personnel between private economic firms and public agencies
C)the corrupt practices of political machines
D)"honest graft"

Question 15

From a traditional managerial perspective, whistle-blowing on matters of public concern could be considered

A) insubordination
B) a breakdown of the span of control
C)a conflict of interest
D)a violation of public trust

Question 16

Which of the following is the best reason for referring to the civil service as the "permanent government"?

A) civil servants hardly ever leave their jobs
B) civil servants are not elected
C)the "revolving door" brings the same people into and out of government, no matter which political party is in power
D)it develops institutional perspectives

Question 17

The political and traditional managerial approaches tend to agree most on the need for

A) a "revolving door"
B) B)conflict -of- interest regulations
C)rotation in office
D)sunshine regulations

Question 18

From a political perspective, "going public" is most clearly

A) immoral
B) insubordination
C)proper and ethical
D)a conflict of interest

Question 19

The courts can hold public administrators accountable most directly through

A) adjusting liability doctrine
B) adjusting standing to sue
C)decreeing reforms in public institutions
D)none of the above promote direct accountability

Question 20

A clientele relationship is best thought of as

A) an interest group seeking recognition from a public administrative agency
B) an interest group that is seen by an agency as the legitimate representative of some sector with which the agency deals
C)the participation of clients in public administration
D)client-centered administration

Question 21

The idea of an "inner check" on administrative behavior is best thought of as

A) a matter of ethics
B) making one agency check another
C)leaving accountability to the executive branch
D)using internal audits

Question 22

An example of unilateral corruption is

A) a bribe
B) extortion
C)an illicit trade
D)none of the above

Question 23

The "civic culture" favors

A) impersonality
B) the promotion of private interests
C)patronage
D)all of the above

Question 24

Kathy Denhardt proposes the moral foundation of American public administration should include the values of

A) honor
B) benevolence
C)justice
D)all of the above

Question 25

Personal responsibility is associated with the

A) the managerial perspective
B) the political perspective
C)the legal perspective
D)all of the above

Question 26

The Inspector General Act was passed in

A) 1923
B) 1946
C)1978
D)1989

Question 27

The ValuJet crash in May 1996 brought to the public's attention the problem of

A) the protective nature of personnel systems
B) monitoring outsourcing
C)corruption in the Federal Aviation Administration
D)misconceiving the public interest with respect to aviation law

Question 28

The New Public Management holds that in order to ensure accountability and ethics, the government should focus on

A) performance and results
B) hierarchy and strict subordination
C)systems of checks and balances
D)budgetary control of administrative operations

Question 29

The National Performance Review sought to replace accountability and ethics controls imposed on public employees with a culture of

A) fiscal responsibility
B) trust
C)cooperation
D)openness and representation

Question 30

The National Performance Review's policy with respect to promoting accountability and ethics in the public service downgraded the importance of the constitutional principle of

A) due process
B) equal protection
C)property rights
D)checks and balances

Question 31

The legal approach to public administration uses which of the following as checks on administrative behavior?

A) personal liability
B) clear rules
C)qui tam process
D)all of the above

Question 32

Bribery is an example of unilateral corruption.

Question 33

The General Accounting Office (GAO) runs a "hot line" over which fraud, waste, and abuse within the federal government can be reported.

Question 34

Regime values may be immoral.

Question 35

The civic culture approach regards personal political loyalties as desirable.

Question 36

Sunshine legislation is intended to prevent "leaks" within public administration.

Question 37

Administrative corruption is a direct result of the rise of regulatory administration.

Question 38

Accountability in U.S. public administration is complicated by the lack of clear mandates for administrative action.

Question 39

Bureau ideologies contribute to bureaucratic socialization.

Question 40

Transactional corruption can take the form of clientele relationships.

Question 41

The traditional managerial perspective expects administrators who are unwilling to follow orders to leave their agencies.

Question 42

Accountability requires public administrators to obey orders in all cases.

Question 43

The political perspective supports whistleblowing more than the managerial perspectives do.

Question 44

The modern civil service is based on the civic culture approach.

Question 45

Many public administrators are required to avoid any appearance of wrongdoing.

Question 46

The NPR contends that improving accountability and ethics in public administration ultimately depends on the individual actions of public servants.

Question 47

The qui tam process authorizes whistleblowers to try to recover public funds by suing a person or organization that has allegedly defrauded a government.