The focus on this paper mainly highlights on the field of ethics and moral values in the society we live in. The paper will draw from different incidences in the history of humanity that led to calamities that would have otherwise been avoided through discipline and active carefulness by individuals involved in the incidences. The administration of any organization should always be held responsible for any shortcomings or disasters that occur at the work place due to negligence or assumption. It is their sole responsibility to cover their working staff y properly insuring and assuring their lives.
The first reading of reference is the issue and concept of bureaucracy which showcases the violation of the formal structure in which the law enforces did not do their part of the work. This entailed the killing of a 21 year old young lady by the name of Kristin Lardner. In this case scenario, one can see the lack of integrity in the part of the justice and police system in keeping their word. Presumably, Kristin Lardner had issue with her ex-boyfriend to the extent to which he had been given a court order injunction to stay away from her. Her then ex-boyfriend, Cartier, evidently had a bad track record with weird questionable deeds in the past.
Friends recall on the doings that would have ultimately led to that tragic night. They attest to Cartier’s behavior and say he was a disturbed individual. My feud with the law is their lack of taking responsibility in their hands even after the court order was issued. They just looked aside on the very wanting issue regarding the disturbed man. The police should have kept their word in restraining Cartier from getting to get. The use of GPS ankle bracelets would have been appropriate to restrict Cartier’s movement from getting to Kristin. Her demise could have been avoided. All the blame goes to the police department and the probation officers accountable for keeping track of Cartier’s movement.
The killing came after a past that sequenced a series of events that would evidently tell that Cartier was an obviously disturbed individual, given his background on both his relationships and the negative comments gotten from those close to him. He even once violated his probation. This was enough reason to at all costs restrain him due to his unpredictability and dangerous nature. The police should not have ignored all these aspects, since it led to the fatal death of an innocent girl.
The second case study that portrays certain shortcomings in administrational accountability to the society is the blast which occurred in Centralia. The reading on this case scenario majorly highlights on the differences in role liability between the government and political administration within the country of United States. The blast is an exemplified description of a mine catastrophe that happened three generations ago in the area of Centralia, Illinois, which subsequently killed almost 111 miners. This editorial is a strange case reading regarding public administration; and not only does the author, John Bartlow Martin, prudently narrate the specifics of the disaster, but he also challenges the understanding and the causes behind the tragedy. It is essentially to duly note that an effective, well-organized public administration, as this reading demonstrates, is an inevitable need for upholding the fundamentals of a civilized modern culture.
The management should not have waited for them to realize how essential safety at the work place importantly significant I supporting the working staff and eventually save on any accrued insurance costs in that would affect them in the case of a disaster occurrence. The top governors in the directives of the mining industry were asked to resign and be accountable for their failure to uphold the welfare of personnel while in operation.
The Centralia explosion left 99 women husbandless and 76 fatherless kids under the age of 18. This subsequently impelled the United Mine Workers Union to modify its welfare death benefits from the previous lump sum disbursements to monthly pays for the affected families. The union used the catastrophe to press for advanced pays and welfares for miners somewhere else. It was the union’s duty to assure the well-being of all miners in the mining industry. I strongly believe that the administration should have enacted and established proper laws from the start of the Union in order to protect the interest and lives of the working personnel. It not until after the disaster West Frankfurt preceding the one in Illinois happened that the federal government decided to endorse stricter laws. The calamity in West Frankfurt happened in the year of 1952.
The virtues within the governing policy makers ought to be improvised, and be self-autotomized to the extent that procedural laws regarding security code are followed to the latter by each and every mining company in existence across every state in the United States and in overall all around the globe
A different disaster that will be highlighted and discussed is that of the Columbia Accident entailing a space shuttle. The catastrophe that occurred that would have been prevented had pre-calculated precautions been taken towards avoiding this dreadful happening. Subsequent to this incident followed the blame game within the political environment and bureaucracies involved with the agencies involved with the NASA projects. The usual responsibility tasks awarded to the team responsible for maintenance had not been carried out. This is significantly signified by the fall in budget expense and negligence on carrying out constant maintenance on the Space Shuttle.
Well, apparently this was not the first time the United States had lost another orbiter and crew to catastrophic incident like that one and most saddening, to technical failure. Technology maintenance expense negligence was essential in this cause. The base should have had proper upkeep strategies which help in the ensuring the safekeeping of all the important machinery within the base. Constant checks before launch should have been done.
As a top United States government section in the country, the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) agency is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace exploration. The agency should practice the highest level of accurate technological autonomy in its operations and have well planned approaches and pre-calculated probabilities on the possibility of accidental events.
The city of Wichita, Kansas is another case study one would look into regarding the violations of political and environmental ethics. This involved the contamination of water resources around the vicinity and general pollution of the wells and lakes. The polluting agents entailed quite dangerous elements which are harmful to human beings. This also included agents that would cause cancer after contamination. The solving of this significant problem spanned out for a long while before the negotiations between the intergovernmental bodies came to an agreement on ways to eradicate the environmental degradation issue.
The contamination that occurred was resultant form companies that conducted illegal disposals and chemicals into water bodies that were otherwise used for basic purposes in the general city locality. The city residence has a right to clean water for basic activities and carrying out irrigation on their farms. This issue subsequently affected the city’s financial capabilities since their funds were redirected towards solving this problem.
The federal government had to rally negotiations and sanction the companies responsible to clean up the sites they polluted. Further, additional funding had to be pumped into the sites for environmental maintenance. This happened after the involvement EPA and the state legislatures coming up with development plans in recovering the environment.
The last reading of focus is on William Robertson case study regarding politics and public management. He concentrates on the need and importance for individuals in political and management positions having a public social responsibility to serve the people. One ought to love the job they do as explained by the author. It should be wired in them to be able to manage and depict authority at the same time. He encourages a high level of honesty and openness in the working progressive environment. The case study instance further stresses on how William Robertson illustratively accomplished exceptional interactivity with his fellow subordinates and the citizens in the community. Delegated partnerships and cooperation with managers, the public and working staff goes a long way in cementing and earning trust for individuals in a company setup.
I would support and agree that individuals should not have two sets of ethics in their public and private working environment. This is like asking someone to have a split personality. A unified set of moral values clearly defines someone and assists identifying oneself with their peers and the public in general by giving a unified public image portrayed and resonated from the personal or private ethics one practices when they are at home.
References
Stillman, R. J. (2010). Public administration: Concepts and cases. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Koestler-Grack, R. A. (2004). The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Edina, Minn: ABDO Daughters.
Hartley, R. E., & Kenney, D. (2006). Death underground: The Centralia and West Frankfort mine disasters. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
Stillman, R. J. (2010). Public administration: Concepts and cases. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning
Wichita confronts contamination: Seeking alternatives to Superfund. (1992). Cambridge, MA: Kennedy School of Government.
