Ethical Conduct

Page 7 of 7


FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCE AND POLICY STUDIES
EMA717 ETHICS AND INTEGRITY IN ADMINISTRATION


ARTICLE REVIEW
Ethical Conduct and Public Service: Loyalty Intelligently Bestowed
(Volume 39 Number 3)


PREPARED BY:
ASLINDA BINTI RAMELY
2013133307
AM7702C



Part A: Introduction
In May 2009, an article written by Lawrence Quill from San Jose State University entitled Ethical Conduct and Public Service: Loyalty Intelligently Bestowed (Volume 39 Number 3) has been republished by Sage Publications. Originally published online in July 2008, this interesting article also can be found out at http://arp.sagepub.com/content/39/3/215.
Part B: Content
Purpose
The main purpose of this article is to offer the reader with a better understanding on the concept of loyalty in public services through reading of a novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro entitled The Remains of the Day, instead of using another approaches. In the opinion of the author, she thinks that the Ishiguro's characterization of moral conflict was suit to be used as an example for those who involved in public service because this novel comprise three main elements that public servants need to understand. The elements include an evaluation of the moral conflicts exist within public administration, an appreciation of the moral fragility of individual decision making and also a basis of new understanding of loyalty within public services that is intelligently bestowed.
Key Findings
Base on my understanding, there is no scientific data findings by using SPSS and so on but the main finding brings by the author in this article is through her literature review, on how the loyalty is involved and practiced in public administration. The author do elaborate this by explain about loyalty by discussing on a question of loyalty, loyalty under siege as well as loyalty intelligently bestowed.
In answering a question of loyalty, the author explained that loyalty has plays a vital role as fundamental to public administration practice. Other than that, loyalty also gives a big impact in term of productivity, management practices and also accountability to the organization. Besides that, she also highlighted that there is different measures will be used for both public services and private corporate environment but does not explain more on that. At the same time, the author also mentioned about the concept of loyalty from Max Weber and the differences between party followers and public servant in them of ethics of leadership.
Then, on loyalty under siege, the author was explained on the challenges from a number of perspectives faced by the public administration in practicing loyalty in workplace. For example is on the perspective from an ideological critique of public institutions emerged and rapidly gained currency as well as from a perspective who questioned on the obedient of employees to their superior without questioning was portrayed as less an example of honorable loyalty and more one of thoughtlessness. Example of law enacted in America that addressed the limits of organizational loyalty such as The Whistleblowers, False Claim Act 1986, Merit Systems Protection Board and Office of Special Counsel also has been highlighted in this article.
Next, the author continued with loyalty intelligently bestowed by discussing what has been portrayed in Kazuo Ishiguro's novel, The Remains of the Day. First thing that has been highlighted by the author in this novel is that she really appreciate the depth commitment of main actor in this novel, James Steven in separating his personal problem while working even though at that time he is so disappointed on the death of his late father. Secondly is on the truthfulness given by Steven to his subordinate in decision making as well as the loyalty that enables him to evade slightest contemplation of his employer's wrongdoings. Thirdly is on the introduced on unwarranted sentiment into a professional decision making procedure where personal doubts do not trump one's loyalty to an employer.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, the concept of loyalty has been critically discussed in this article starting from some fact from literature reviews, loyalty under siege and also on the example of loyalty behaviors portrayed in Kazuo Ishiguro's novel. Even though there is no scientific evidence or there is no research done by the author by herself on loyalty but she did exposed the reader with a great collection of loyalty reading especially when she mention about The Remains of the Day.
This is because by discussing what has been done by the main actor in this novel, she did provide the readers as well as the one who involved with public administration with good "live" examples rather than just mentioning about facts and theories. Keep mentioning about facts and theories only make the readers to feel quite bored and did not get the real definition of it but if the author gives the "live" example from the novel, it can make the reader to get a better understanding on what loyalty is all about.
Part C: Comments
Significant Value
Provide readers with a new approach to understand loyalty
It is such a good approach done by the author since she tries to bring the concept of loyalty with different approach to the reader. She is trying to bring the loyalty concept by using the example of "live" character, James Steven. It is unarguable that James Steven is a character that has been created by Kazuo Ishiguro but this character does help the reader to get a real example of loyalty.
Sometimes, when we reading a novel, we can feel the "breath" of the actors and author is trying to bring concept of loyalty close to the reader. Most of the articles nowadays are too academically oriented, which is try to reach the reader with scientifically evidences, jargons, great terminology as well as by using difficult sentence structure but all these does not happen in this article. In other words, this article does provide readers to understand loyalty concept with a simple and relax approach as compared to other effort done by another author. Due to that, the author makes a perfect effort to bring loyalty to the imagination and increase the readers understanding regarding this matter.
Shift the perception of the readers and employees on loyalty
Rather than just a simple daily word, the author highlighted that being loyalty is one of ethical conduct too. Previously, employees always take for granted on loyalty since they think that being loyalty is their own choice and it does not influence them much but only the organization. So, they simply make some protest while performing their job or even turn to another firm if they unsatisfied with the decision made by the company.
However, when the author mention on being loyalty is one of ethical conduct too rather than just a simple humanity words, it might give a new perception for the employees towards this matter. This is because when we relate some action with ethical conduct, it makes us to think twice since we are more alert on word "ethics" rather than as a simple daily words as before. We think that if being loyalty is one of ethical conduct too, it make us to be more careful and feel demand to be loyal since we are more concern of being ethically conduct. So, this article does give significant value by shifting the perception of the readers and employees on loyalty, shows the important of being loyal.


Agree
I do agree when the author do highlighted on the concept of loyalty in this article as part of ethical conduct in public service. This is because fully comply with job descriptive and know on how to do work well as in standard procedure is not enough if the employee does not have loyalty with them. Being loyal is vital for the employees to have because this will give some effect to the organizations. For example is being loyal to follow all necessary instructions from superior or rules conducted such as code on conduct, professional code of ethics or even any simple rules and regulations in organizations.

By having loyal employees who do not easily give up and bored with any rules and regulations, any coming challenges and ready to struggle for short and long term goal as well as in achieving both vision and mission are really important for the organizations. Loyalty from the employees might turn the organizations to be well prepared in handling any obstacles and barrier comes towards them. In other simple words, the author make a good effort in addressing an important element that should have by every single employee in organizations.

Theory/ Application
Internal Marketing and Loyalty
In this article, the author explained on the concept of loyalty by addressing on a question of loyalty, loyalty under siege as well as loyalty intelligently bestowed. However, all these things are basically relate with internal marketing owned by the organization itself.
Referring to Berry and Parasuraman in 1991, internal marketing is attracting, developing, motivating, and retaining qualified employees through job-products that satisfy their needs. Internal marketing has been used as an effective management tool to increase employee motivation, satisfaction, and productivity . Previous studies also have noted the important of internal marketing as a factor in influencing employee's loyalty. Researchers have commented that to maintain employee loyalty, certain factors must be considered in the organization such as offering employee benefits related to financial and work care, providing professional and personal development, informal support such as supervisor support, providing a good work environment, and so on .
A a conclusion, when the author highlighted on the matters pertaining to loyalty, actually all these have a relationship with internal marketing of an organization itself where it has been considered that there is a strong association of internal marketing to employee perceptions of organizational loyalty, employee loyalty increases when organizations have good internal-marketing strategies as well as has been agreed that nternal-marketing is a factors in influencing employee organizational loyalty.



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