- As Deputy City Manager, what is your objective responsibility to the politician(s) and the law?
- As Deputy City Manager, what is your objective responsibility to your superiors?
Conduct duties and studies assigned by the superiors and provide reports containing possible recommendations regarding solutions to various management problems.
- As Deputy City Manager, what is your objective responsibility to your subordinates?
- As Deputy City Manager, what is your objective responsibility to the citizens?
Keep the public informed of development projects and process complaints from the public. Further, to prepare replies to the complaints.
Issues dealing with human and public safety, moral obligation to handle the responsibilities assigned with integrity and to issues that may influence or affect the religious beliefs of individuals.
- Using your Job responsibilities as a guide, what are three roles you play in your job as Deputy City Manager?
Represent the City manager in City council meetings, coordinate activities in the city manager’s office and to present issues that need to be addressed to the city council.
- Using these roles, give an example of an inside-inside role conflict that you might have.
In case of representing the city manager in city meetings, I might do a better a job than him and council members may be impressed with how I handle or conduct the meetings than when the city manager conducts them and also I may provide more concrete issues and solutions than him.
- Give another instance of an inside-inside role conflict you might have.
The way I may delegate the duties may not concur with how the city manager wants things to be handled.
- What are three other roles that you play in addition to being a Deputy City Manager?
Handling special projects, handle issues regarding state and federal funding and promoting safety in the workplace.
- Using these roles, give an example of a realistic inside-outside role conflict you might have.
When handling special projects conflict may arise with politicians on how the project implementation and use of funds is to be done.
- Give another example of an inside-outside role conflict you might have.
Certain political forces may influence process of contracting of the project to different contractors and the contracting committee may assign the project to less qualified contractors.
- What two superiors could be creating a conflict of authority for you? What are the details of the conflict?
The city manager and the Mayor can create conflict of authority. In handling of projects, the Mayor or the City manager may overstep and change the way duties are delegated. Furthermore, the Mayor may introduce new workers into the project without seeking my consent.
- List 5 kinds of conflict of interest this position could be vulnerable to.
- Information peddling,
- bribery,
- commissions, and gifts,
- outside employment
- Rogue financial transactions.
- As Deputy City Manager, what would the first conflict of interest look like if you were guilty of it? (In other words, describe who the players are and what you would be doing to be guilty of this kind of conflict of interest. Read over your 10 job requirements again to see the many opportunities you might have to be unethical.)
First conflict of interest would include information peddling. This would involve revealing inside information to potential contracting companies on how the bidding process for contracts would be done and what was expected as the reasonable amount for the project.
- As Deputy City Manager, what would the second conflict of interest look like if you were guilty of it?
The second conflict of interest would be bribery. After providing the required information, I would accept money to overlook certain deficiencies in certain contracts.
- As Deputy City Manager, what would the third conflict of interest look like if you were guilty of it?
The third conflict of interest would be acceptance of gifts from potential contracting companies.
- As Deputy City Manager, what would the fourth conflict of interest look like if you were guilty of it?
Fourth conflict of interest would be providing relatives and friends with work opportunities without following correct hiring procedures.
- As Deputy City Manager, what would the fifth conflict of interest look like if you were guilty of it?
The fifth conflict of interest would involve over budgeting or over estimating the bill of quantities on materials to be used in a project.
- What would Finer suggest would help you avoid being unethical in these cases?
Finer would suggest that elected legislators oversee the bidding process to avoid the unethical scenario.
- What would Friedrich suggest would help you avoid being unethical in these cases?
Friedrich would suggest that I employ professionalism in handling the case and hold myself accountable to the professional standards of my profession.
- What would Trevino suggest would help you avoid being unethical in these cases?
Trevino would suggest using a consequentialist approach where one evaluates if the actions done would benefit most people or harm most people. If it would harm most people then it should be avoided.
- Statement 1: Psychologists seek to promote integrity in their work
- Question Number: 14
- Statement 2: Psychologist uphold professional standards of conduct
- Question Number: 15
Think over your answers above and imagine the people you would be working with, given the job description. Using this information, create a serious ethical problem you might have to deal with in this position. (Give the facts: who are the characters, what is their position and relation to your position, either inside the department or outside, what is going on, what principles or codes are being violated.)
- Characters and their positions
John-Treasurer
Mercy-Personal Secretary
Andrew-owner of Century Builders
Agnes: council member on the bidding and contracting committee
- Their relation to my position, either inside or outside the department:
John and Mercy are my subordinates in the office of the City Manager, Agnes is heavily involved in issues dealing with projects in the city hence a member of the bidding and contracting committee, and Andrew is the owner of the firm that is seeking favors to get the contract.
- What they are doing wrong:
John is responsible for over estimating the materials cost and the budget required for the project, Mercy is sexually involved with Andrew who has convinced her to change certain details in the contract. Agnes will influence other council members to pick Andrew’s company, as it is the most suited for the job.
- What principles or codes are being violated:
Integrity, professional responsibility, social responsibility, respect for peoples dignity, and concern for other’s welfare are being violated.
What are two solutions you would pick to resolve this responsibly?
- Solution A:
Ignore the potential bribe from the situation and terminate the secretary contract for presenting such an unethical problem. Present the matter to the professional board to conduct investigations.
- Solution B:
Remove Andrew’s company as a contractor and forward the matter to the Contractors Association Professional board for review.
- What 2 moral codes or principles are supported by SOLUTION A?
Integrity and professional responsibility
- How would you defend SOLUTION A to others?
The secretary being involved sexually with the owner, Andrew had compromised her judgment in the matter and would influence decisions or may change certain details in the contract since she has access to the documents.
- What feelings would you experience if you chose SOLUTION A to implement?
I would feel pity on the secretary as she had allowed herself to be exploited and betrayal.
- What 2 moral codes or principles are behind SOLUTION B?
Competence and concern for other people’s welfare
- How would you defend SOLUTION B to others?
As a contractor, it the duty and responsibility of Andrew to allow the competence of his firm to be the reason for attaining a contract instead of using other means. Furthermore, allowing such contractors may prove to be disastrous since incase of incompetence the public safety in a project is compromised.
- What feelings would you experience if you chose SOLUTION B to implement?
I would feel proud for preventing potential future disasters that may harm public safety. Further, I would be relieved that proper action would be taken against Andrew’s firm.
- Which of these 2 solutions would you pick? Why would you choose that one?
I would choose Solution B as it is more concerned with the public welfare.
How could organizational structure make it difficult for this solution to work? What would you do to fix that?
- How structure could interfere:
The organizational structure would introduce hierarchical bureaucracies that may limit the handling of the ethical matter. Superiors may want such as issue to gain public and they may direct me as their subordinate to ignore the matter.
- What i could do about it:
I would employ whistle blowing and seek protection of my identity.
How could organizational culture make it difficult for this solution to work? What would you do to fix that?
- How culture could interfere:
The culture of loyalty and the concept that these issues are normally ignored may seem to convince people that these unethical situations are a normal occurrence and it is not a big deal.
- What i could do about it:
I would try to reason with the superiors and other individuals involved on why such a situation would be disastrous or have negative consequences in the future. For instance, the public would lose trust in the city manager’s office.
How could individual attributes make it difficult for this solution to work? What would you do to fix that?
- How individual attributes could interfere:
The guilty consciousness of people to losing their jobs or even being prosecuted.
- What I could do about it:
I would consider the benefits of my actions and if they are beneficial to the greater good, I would be satisfied with the actions.
How could societal expectations make it difficult for this solution to work? What would you do to fix that?
- How societal expectations could interfere:
Reporting the matter may result in suspension the whole bidding and contracting process, which may result in delaying the completion of the project, and in most cases, the project is designed to serve the community or address a community problem. Thus, such delays will limit the community from enjoying the benefits of the completed project.
- What I could do about it:
Seek alternative solutions that will result in formation of an external emergency committee to conduct the bidding and contracting process.
What would you say are 3 valuable things you learned from this course?
45. Learning #1: Integrity
A. Why this is valuable to me
Integrity is essential for public administrators to conduct their duties, as they will constantly face situations where they may be tempted to act unethically.
- Learning #2: Public service
- Why this is valuable to me
Public offices are meant to serve the interest of the public and not personal interest.
47. Learning #3: personal responsibility
A. Why this is valuable to me
Having personal responsibility and core values may be helpful when faced with unethical situations.
What are three things you learned from your Personal Pathways report and session going over your results with the good doctor?
48. Learning #1:
Common sense thinking
A. How i intend to use it
I will use this to handle and find quick alternatives to my personal problems and problems I face at work.
49. Learning #2:
Natural insight
A. How i intend to use it
I will use this to identify when something is wrong or a decision is not right
50. Learning #3:
Understanding other people
- How i intend to use it
This will aid me in selection of individuals who are best suited to handle different tasks.
