Handbook of Public Administration, 3rd Edition

Chapter 33Understanding the Obligations of Codes of Ethics

Liza Ireni-Saban

This chapter addresses the province of codes of ethics in promoting ethical behavior and professionalism in public administration. Codes of ethics set forth values and standards to meet the expectations of those engaged in professional community and that shape their professional identity (Long & Driscoll, 2007). Codes of ethics are viewed as an important management tool for building the ethical culture of a profession or organization by improving the profession's reputation and developing a deep sense of commitment to ethical conduct and pride among professional community members. According to Richard Stillman (1974), the importance of a code is defined in this way: ...