Impartiality and Non-partisanship Impartiality is a norm of Justice holding that decisions should be based on objective standards, instead of on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the advantage to one person over another for unsuitable reasons. Impartiality is acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally well governments of different political persuasions. Impartiality means that civil bureaucrats in carrying out their official work, including functions like procurement, recruitment, delivery of services etc., should take decisions based on merit alone. Impartiality implies that the behaviour of, and treatment by a bureaucrat to any individual or entity has to be exclusively on the basis of merit. An administrator has to take numerous major decisions such as recruitment, procurement and allotment. To make such decisions effective and efficient, there has to be absolute impartiality. Impartiality is the eminence of a person where one is impartial while allocating any goods or services among several people or selecting a person from a set of people based on certain set of abilities.
One must:
serve the Government, whatever its political Persuasion, to the best of your ability in a way which maintains political impartiality and is in line with the requirements of this Code, no matter what your own political beliefs are;
Act in a way which deserves and retains the confidence of Ministers, while at the same time ensuring that you will be able to establish the same relationship with those whom you may be required to serve in some future Government; and
Comply with any restrictions that have been laid down on your political activities.
One must not:
Act in a way that is determined by party political considerations, or
Use official Resources for party political purposes; or
Allow your personal political views to determine any advice you give or your actions.
It can be very hard to follow the above advice, especially when a Minister or Special Adviser does not share your view of the borderline between ‘explaining’ a policy and ‘defending’ it. It is even more difficult if you strongly support – or strongly object to – decisions that have been made, or might be made, by Ministers. It is not always possible to hide those views from colleagues, and it is sometimes difficult to hide them from those outside the Government with whom you come into frequent contact. But it is absolutely essential that you give no sign that you oppose the principles and underlying thrust of the Government’s policies, nor must you suggest that you do not respect your Minister.
It can be even more difficult to follow the above advice where minor decisions are concerned. (‘Of course I will try to get him to open your conference. It’s an important occasion’). But you will learn from bitter experience that the advice is sensible, for it is embarrassing all round when the Minister refuses to do what you suggest. There is, I am afraid, no alternative to sounding rather pathetic and merely promising that the case will be put to the Minister, adding that you cannot predict the result. Quite simply, it should never be possible for anyone to be able to criticise Ministers for failing to take your advice. And it is even more important that incoming Ministers should be unaware of the extent or otherwise of your personal support for their predecessors’ policies.
Ethical conduct of a civil servent
In the Public Administration organizations the civil servants are exercising their power of decision, day by day in many ways. Whether the action involves managing public resources in their role of interface with citizens or in the context of policy making, ethics represent a vital factor in creating and maintaining trust in government and its institutions. Yet public sector ethics must be understood as an activity and not as a statute.
Encouraging ethical behaviour is not just a list of rules or statutes to be achieved. For any public administration organizations, ethics means a continuous management process that supports business and government and is becoming a key factor for the functioning and development of the government. Preventing Corruption and improving Public Service management is the primary goal of promoting ethical standards for civil servants. Many governments have reviewed their policies on ethical conduct in public service being preoccupied by the problem of corruption and the declining trust in government.
Accountability
In ethics and governance, accountability is answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and the expectation of account-giving. As an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in the public sector, nonprofit and private (corporate) and individual contexts. In Leadership roles, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, governance, and implementation within the scope of the role or EMPLOYMENT position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences.
Internal rules and norms as well as some independent commission are mechanisms to hold civil servants within the administration of government accountable. Within department or ministry, firstly, behavior is bound by rules and regulations; secondly, civil servants are subordinates in a hierarchy and accountable to superiors. Nonetheless, there are independent “watchdog” units to scrutinize and hold departments accountable; legitimacy of these commissions is built upon their independence, as it avoids any conflicts of interests. The accountability is defined as “an element which is part of a unique responsibility and which represents an obligation of an actor to achieve the goal, or to perform the procedure of a task, and the justification that it is done to someone else, under threat of sanction”.
Courage
Having courage of conviction is imp for public service because its helps one to take bold decisions that can have effect on millions of people in one stroke. Having courage to do what one believes is best for the community requires awful lot of mental strength. This courage of conviction also helps in taking further decisions in the same line.
Objectivity is a central philosophical concept, related to reality and truth, which has been variously defined by sources. Generally, objectivity means the state or quality of being true even outside a subject’s individual biases, interpretations, feelings, and imaginings.
Objectivity is the last public administration core value. It entails respect, Equality, and fairness. It doesn’t matter whether someone has Money or not, they must be treated fairly. Discrimination plagues the world, and it is a public administrator’s job to make sure that the laws created do not infringe on any person’s rights. Everyone should be treated equally and with respect. It is never ok for a public administrator to belittle anyone based on political, cultural, or religious beliefs because that is not acting professionally. It is ok to have opinions, but this core public administration value means that everyone should be treated fairly regardless of socioeconomic status.
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Foundational values are the core beliefs and principles that guide our lives. They are the things that we hold dear and that we believe are important. Foundational values can be different for everyone, but they often include things like honesty, Integrity, respect, and compassion.
Foundational values are important because they provide us with a moral compass. They help us to make decisions and to live our lives in a way that is consistent with our beliefs. They also help us to connect with others and to build strong relationships.
There are many different foundational values, but some of the most common include:
Accountability: This is the belief that we are responsible for our own actions and that we should be held accountable for them.
Authenticity: This is the belief that we should be true to ourselves and that we should not pretend to be someone we are not.
Bravery: This is the courage to stand up for what we believe in, even when it is difficult.
Caring: This is the concern for the well-being of others.
Collaboration: This is the willingness to work with others to achieve a common goal.
Commitment: This is the dedication to something or someone, even when it is difficult.
Creativity: This is the ability to come up with new and original ideas.
Critical thinking: This is the ability to think clearly and rationally about a problem.
Diversity: This is the acceptance and appreciation of differences.
Ethics: This is the belief in doing what is right, even when it is difficult.
Excellence: This is the pursuit of high standards and the desire to be the best that we can be.
Fairness: This is the belief that everyone should be treated equally.
Forgiveness: This is the ability to let go of anger and resentment.
Gratitude: This is the appreciation for the good things in our lives.
Humility: This is the awareness of our own limitations and the willingness to learn from others.
Integrity: This is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
Kindness: This is the quality of being generous and considerate of others.
Leadership: This is the ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve a common goal.
Learning: This is the ongoing process of acquiring knowledge and understanding.
Love: This is a deep feeling of affection and care for another person.
Open-mindedness: This is the willingness to consider new ideas and perspectives.
Patience: This is the ability to wait calmly for something to happen.
Persistence: This is the ability to continue trying even when things are difficult.
Respect: This is the feeling of admiration for someone or something.
Responsibility: This is the ability to be accountable for our own actions.
Self-awareness: This is the ability to understand our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Self-control: This is the ability to control our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Self-discipline: This is the ability to control our own impulses and to stay focused on our goals.
Self-efficacy: This is the belief in our own ability to succeed.
Self-esteem: This is the positive evaluation of ourselves.
Self-knowledge: This is the understanding of our own strengths and weaknesses.
Self-love: This is the acceptance and appreciation of ourselves.
Self-respect: This is the belief that we are worthy of respect.
Social intelligence: This is the ability to understand and manage relationships.
Teamwork: This is the ability to work together with others to achieve a common goal.
Trustworthiness: This is the quality of being honest and reliable.
Truthfulness: This is the quality of being honest and telling the truth.
Wisdom: This is the ability to make good judgments based on experience and knowledge.
Foundational values are important because they help us to live a good life. They provide us with a moral compass and help us to make decisions that are consistent with our beliefs. They also help us to connect with others and to build strong relationships.
If you want to live a good life, it is important to identify your foundational values and to live your life in accordance with them. It is also important to be aware of the values of others and to respect them, even if they are different from your own.
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables. A theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment.
What is the scientific method?
The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way. Just like with any experiment, the scientific method starts with a question.
What is the difference between a fact and an opinion?
A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true. An opinion is a belief that is not necessarily true or false.
What is the difference between a reliable source and an unreliable source?
A reliable source is one that provides accurate and unbiased information. An unreliable source is one that provides inaccurate or biased information.
What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?
A primary source is a document or artifact that was created during the time period being studied. A secondary source is a document or artifact that was created after the time period being studied.
What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative data?
Quantitative data is data that can be measured and counted. Qualitative data is data that cannot be measured or counted.
What is the difference between correlation and causation?
Correlation is a relationship between two variables. Causation is a relationship in which one variable causes another variable to change.
What is the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics?
Descriptive statistics are used to summarize data. Inferential statistics are used to make inferences about a Population based on data from a sample.
What is the difference between a population and a sample?
A population is a group of all the individuals or objects that are being studied. A sample is a subset of the population.
What is the difference between a census and a survey?
A census is a survey of an entire population. A survey is a survey of a sample of a population.
What is the difference between a cross-sectional study and a longitudinal study?
A cross-sectional study is a study that collects data at one point in time. A longitudinal study is a study that collects data at multiple points in time.
What is the difference between an experimental study and an observational study?
An experimental study is a study in which the researcher manipulates one variable to see how it affects another variable. An observational study is a study in which the researcher does not manipulate any variables.
What is the difference between a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a non-randomized controlled trial (non-RCT)?
An RCT is an experimental study in which participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control group. A non-RCT is an experimental study in which participants are not randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control group.
What is the difference between a p-value and a confidence interval?
A p-value is a measure of the statistical significance of a result. A confidence interval is a range of values that is likely to contain the true value of a parameter.
What is the difference between a type I error and a type II error?
A type I error is the error of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true. A type II error is the error of failing to reject the null hypothesis when it is false.
What is the difference between statistical significance and practical significance?
Statistical significance is a measure of the likelihood that a result is due to chance. Practical significance is a measure of the magnitude of a result.
What is the difference between a null hypothesis and an alternative hypothesis?
The null hypothesis is the hypothesis that there is no difference between the groups being compared. The alternative hypothesis is the hypothesis that there is a difference between the groups being compared.
What is the difference between a one-tailed test and a two-tailed test?
A one-tailed test is a test in which the alternative hypothesis is directional. A two-tailed test is a test in which the alternative hypothesis is non-directional.
What is the difference between a parametric test and a nonparametric test?
A parametric test is a test that assumes that the data are normally distributed. A nonparametric test is a test that does not assume that the data are normally distributed.
What is the difference between a continuous variable and a discrete variable?
A continuous variable is a variable that can take on
Which of the following is not a foundational value of the United States? (A) Freedom of speech (B) Freedom of religion (C) Freedom of the press (D) Freedom to bear arms
The United States is a constitutional republic. This means that (A) the government is limited by a constitution (B) the people have the right to vote (C) the government is divided into three branches (D) all of the above
The United States is a representative Democracy. This means that (A) the people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf (B) the people have the right to vote (C) the government is divided into three branches (D) all of the above
The United States is a federal republic. This means that (A) the government is divided into two levels, the federal government and the state governments (B) the federal government has certain powers that are reserved for it, and the state governments have certain powers that are reserved for them (C) the federal government and the state governments share some powers (D) all of the above
The United States is a democracy. This means that (A) the government is run by the people (B) the people have the right to vote (C) the people have the right to participate in government (D) all of the above
The United States is a republic. This means that (A) the government is run by elected representatives (B) the government is limited by a constitution (C) the people have the right to participate in government (D) all of the above
The United States is a nation of immigrants. This means that (A) the United States is a country that was founded by immigrants (B) the United States is a country that is made up of people from all over the world (C) the United States is a country that is open to immigrants (D) all of the above
The United States is a land of opportunity. This means that (A) the United States is a country where people can achieve their dreams (B) the United States is a country where people can improve their lives (C) the United States is a country where people can pursue their goals (D) all of the above
The United States is a land of freedom. This means that (A) the United States is a country where people are free to live their lives as they see fit (B) the United States is a country where people are free to express their opinions (C) the United States is a country where people are free to worship as they please (D) all of the above
The United States is a land of equality. This means that (A) all people are equal under the law (B) all people have the same rights and opportunities (C) all people are treated with respect (D) all of the above