Codes of ethics, public values, and what public servants offer the bureaucratic compac

Abstract

Over 100 years ago, the bureaucratic compact and five professions were established: city/county management, city planning, civil engineering, landscape architecture, and architecture. In exchange for merit employment and independence from politics, these professions offered expertise and related values. To understand those values and changes in the compact from the 1900s to today, codes of ethics from the five professions were examined. Anticipated changes were a movement from traditional public values to business values including New Public Management. However, findings show traditional values persisting over time (e.g. public interest), but not many New Public Management values (e.g. innovation). Modern values do appear and expand professionalsʼ responsibilities into environmental protection, sustainability, and human rights, which influence what these professions offer as they seek to uphold their end of the bureaucratic compact.

Citation

Johnson, B.J. (2014), "Codes of ethics, public values, and what public servants offer the bureaucratic compac", International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 459-497. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-17-04-2014-B004