A Clash of Values: Public Ethics and the Business of Government

A Clash of Values: Public Ethics and the Business of Government Article

Newman, MA, Gaffney, MJ. (2002). A Clash of Values: Public Ethics and the Business of Government . 7(1), 17-27. 10.1080/12294659.2002.10804989

This article explores the ethical consequences of what Korac-Kakabadse, Kouzmin, Knyght, and Korac-Kakabadse (2000) refer to as “the continuous re-drawing of the boundaries of what constitutes ‘the public service.’” Within these reconfigurations, public administrators are recast as public entrepreneurs, adhering to a bottom-line script that is fundamentally at odds with the spirit and intent of public service. The authors examine the ethical dynamics of public service reform, and conclude with a call to reaffirm the core values of public administration in the face of competing business-driven practices. © 2002 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.