The ethics primer for public administrators in government and nonprofit organizations / James Svara, research professor, School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, visiting professor, School of Government, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: and a pop quiz -- Administrative ethics: ideas, sources, and development -- Refining the sense of duty: responsibilities of public administrators and the issue of agency -- Reinforcing and enlarging duty: the philosophical bases of ethical behavior and the ethics triangle -- Codifying duty and ethical perspectives: professional codes of ethics -- Undermining duty: challenges to the ethical behavior of public administrators -- Deciding how to meet obligations and act responsibly: ethical analysis and problem solving -- Acting on duty in the face of uncertainty and risk: responsible whistleblowing -- Elevating ethical behavior in the organization -- Mandating duty: external measures to promote ethics -- Conclusion: the duties of public administrators.